The Case of
by MyraHellsing
Summary: After meeting a unique waiter, Date Masamune finds himself inexplicably drawn to the mysterious employee of The Great Tiger Cafe. A/N **if this looks familiar, then it probably is something familiar! Look inside to see why... edit: This story is, unfortunately, permanently discontinued. Contact with the original author has not been reestablished. Current holder of fic cannot cont.
1. Chapter 1

Title: **The Case**

**Rated**: T

**Summary**: After meeting an unique waiter, Date Masamune finds himself inexplicably drawn to the mysterious employee of The Great Tiger Cafe.

**WARNING! SHOUNEN-AI AHEAD!**

****Read the Following First******  
A/N**  
Hello everyone! Myra is back with yet another.. obsession.. actually this one's a pretty-old-obsession-revived-due-to-somethingoranother ANYWAYS!

Many of you may recognize this story from elsewhere, and no, before I am falsely accused, I am _NOT _stealing another person's work. A friend of mine, who was the original creator of this story (and shall remain (not so) anonymous), is no longer able to continue this story due to .. complicated circumstances that for once has nothing to do with FF(dot)Net. (MSG Her if you wish to know, for those who know who I'm talking about) Because I find it a waste to take away and discontinue such a fabulously written story (applause to my friend, and "boo"s to the ones responsible for this atrocity), myself and one other individual will be continuing this story in Her stead. We both hope we will be able to write as well as She has, and to fully capture the element of the tale in which she has displayed.

The first... eleven chapters are taken from the original fanfic, and entirely written by Her. Most of the part (if not all) shall remain unchanged.

Bon Appetite!

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Part 1: The Case of Date Masamune Take 1

Date Masamune could be considered many things, but even he was fairly certain patient wasn't one of them. He slouched back in his chair and scribbled in his sketchbook, debating on whether to call one of his friends to make the wait less infuriating. Then again, the only person he could think to call was Chosokabe Motochika, and that would just make the crazy pirate want to visit. Bad idea.

Mindlessly sketching, Masamune's attention wavered between the details of the café to its strange occupants. The Great Tiger Café had only been in business for a few short weeks, but somehow it had quickly become a favorite in the community. Masamune wasn't particularly sure why. The café wasn't exactly what one would consider typical, not that Masamune had been a patron of many. The color scheme wasn't peaceful, but passionately bold with startling shades of red and gold. Comfortable black and red chairs looped around twenty circular tables of various sizes and shades of red. The music wasn't serene but outrageously enthusiastic. The walls were covered eccentrically with paintings and odd paraphernalia in a way that was extremely eye-catching. Overall, it was an earnestly cluttered mess that somehow retained a positive aesthetic. Masamune couldn't help but appreciate how interesting it was.

The antique clock across the room chimed 5 PM. Finally annoyed, Masamune huffed and dropped his sketchbook back on the table. He darted his eye towards the glass door of the café, as if it would magically make Sarutobi Sasuke appear. It didn't, but Masamune decided to remain an eternal optimist. Sasuke had been assigned as his partner in their Literature class, and to get their work completed the weird guy had asked Masamune to meet him at this café. Neither was happy with the partnership, and they both wanted it over as soon as possible.

With an hour and a half wasted, Masamune shoved his sketchbook into his blue bag and pulled the thick strap over his shoulder. He stood up, not bothering to push in his chair, before moving out of the café. He passed a leggy blonde who was glaring at the clock with vehemence similar to his own as he pulled the door open to exit.

"What a wasted day," Masamune whispered, glowering at the gold caricature of a cute baby tiger on the café door. He reached into his pocket to pull out a cigarette with resolute fingers. Kojuurou, unwitting housekeeper and long-suffering caretaker, had been demanding he quit ever since he discovered Masamune's habit. Masamune was half-heartedly trying for Kojuurou's sake, but today was just one of those days he needed a perk.

And, because it was already such a poor day, it was the opportune occasion for fate to send a foreign body to violently collide into him, shoving Masamune back into the café and brutally knocking the air from his lungs as he made impact with the red tiled floor.

"I am so sorry!" a male voice exclaimed as Masamune heaved at the unexpected weight settled on his stomach.

The guy was on top of him.

Figures.

Masamune frowned, wondering why he was still seeing black as he felt the man who was lying on him quickly move off. Masamune tried taking a deep breath and coughed a bit.

There was a pressure of gentle fingers upon his face and the blackness was pulled away. Ah, Masamune acknowledged silently to himself, an apron. That made sense. Somehow. Sort of.

"Are you alright?" the male voice timorously asked, and Masamune began glaring at the red ceiling. It was an interesting voice, distinctive and brash, yet unquestionably appealing. Masamune felt it a shame that he was deeply encouraged in that moment to hate that voice.

He also belatedly realized that he really needed to move. He was lying on his book bag and his sketchbook was digging painfully into his spine.

"I'm really sorry! I was late to work and my ride had to get me and then rush back here in time for a meeting. And I'm really late and I am so sorry!"

Masamune listened with wonder. After all, he was the one trying to remember how to breathe and all this guy could do was freak out? Masamune coughed again, wincing as he heard rather than saw the leggy blonde call for help from a Takeda. He questioned to himself if a Takeda would be helpful. Other customers could be heard, and he figured that they were trying to offer help but he waved them off. This was getting extremely humiliating, which meant Masamune was just getting more pissed off as the minutes passed.

"Am I alright? No, I don't believe I am alright. You bastard! I didn't think my day could get any worse!" Masamune took a painful, deep breath before cringing, carefully sitting up and removing the book bag that had been attempting residency in his spine. "I'm not going to be sorry for kicking your ass for this, because this has been a really bad day and I think that I really, really need to hurt you."

"I suppose that's fair," the voice replied gravely, as if not only acutely aware, but also sincerely apologetic, of his crime. But…

What the hell kind of answer is that?

"There are probably no words to describe how much I am going to really enjoy hurting you," Masamune replied darkly, grabbing the side of a nearby chair to help prop himself up. A hand came in his vision to help, but Masamune quickly slapped it away. "Let's take this outside."

As Masamune stood, the offender, likely deliberately, moved into his blindside. Masamune glowered as he lightly rubbed the back of his injured head. Without even looking at his nemesis, he walked outside with measured steps, hearing the man with the unique voice following him. While inwardly appreciating that the fool wasn't a coward, Masamune looked around cautiously before walking into the alley at the left side of the cafe.

As they strode deeper into the alley, his enemy asked, "Are you sure you want to do this? We can always do it tomorrow when you are feeling better. I would much rather we have an honorable battle where neither need hold back, and right now I fear I may have the advantage…"

"Shut up and fight me," Masamune snapped callously, quickly turning with a fighting stance to finally view his opponent, daring him to make light of Masamune because of any preconceived notions of weakness.

And then his mind had to recover for a second time that day.

The boy in front of him, a perfectly physical fit to his voice, was probably younger than Masamune by a couple of years at most. He possessed a muscular frame, far slimmer than Masamune's own, but just as compact. Auburn hair was suitably long and wild, pulled back at the nape on his neck to flow down his back. Wide, russet eyes met his before narrowing with sudden passion as a smile crept across his face. This boy's blood was pulsating for a good fight.

And there was something oddly…strangely…Masamune hated it, but the boy was inconceivably adorable and it really wasn't fair. Truly it couldn't be fair for such a little bastard to be as cute as he was dangerous. And Masamune could tell the boy was dangerous because he was simply glorifying in this individual who was standing as his newfound equal. It wasn't just the physical features that were captivating – it was the glint in those eyes. Even in this questionable situation, there was immense joy to be found in a coming fight with a capable opponent. His stance and figure were just too perfect to be anything but exceptional.

For the first time in his lackadaisical life, Date Masamune felt a trill of excitement that coursed through his veins and spread through to his very soul, highlighting this meeting as possibly the most important happenstance of his life. No, Masamune acknowledged to himself, this was not coincidence but providence. Something vital from deep within had just clicked into place and it was fantastic. Date Masamune smiled, perhaps fanatically, but he didn't care. He had finally found something in this boy that could make his soul sing even as his body prepared for a dance of war.

"ENOUGH!"

Masamune's great moment was instantly ruined by a deep bellow. He glared as a large, muscular man with a black mustache appeared behind his opponent whose faces paled by degrees. The boy's face seemed to twitch for a moment as he slowly turned away from Masamune to meet the intruder. The interloper's fists clenched as he threw a black apron off his body, leaving him in a bright red shirt and black slacks. Somehow, though Masamune wasn't sure why, it made the intimidating man even more menacing. In the face of this new enemy, all Masamune wanted to do was grab the boy in front of him and run before anything could tear his newfound feeling away from him.

Instead, he had to duck as the giant man punched his young opponent completely over Masmune's body and straight through the alley wall behind him. Masamune looked at the man, and then turned behind him to look at the boy embedded in the wall. Wisely, Masamune ducked even lower than before as the giant ran forward to leap over him and chase down his prey who was still peeling himself off the wall. Masamune stood again and watched, slack-jawed, the transpiring events.

"This is actually normal for those two."

Masamune turned sharply to find Sarutobi Sasuke, his worthless and long-absent partner, standing behind him. The guy, sporting eccentric green tattoos across his nose and under his eyes, was somehow able to emit both an exasperated sigh and an amused grin. While contemplating the scene, Sasuke began threading his fingers through his spiky brown hair, looking as if he wasn't sure what to do about the two battling.

"When the hell did you get here?" Masamune asked with wonder, still a little confused at the transpiring events. Training moved his body before his thoughts could process the action, and Masamune deftly dodged as the auburn haired boy who flew past him.

Sasuke shrugged with eloquence and moved out of the way as the crazy old man bolted to where his target had skillfully landed on his feet. Sasuke stepped closer to Masamune to reply, "I've been here. I was the guy who drove your new friend here from school."

"New friend?"

Sasuke tilted his head toward the screaming youth who was ducking another attack. "Your new friend, the guy that is getting pummeled behind you. Sanada Yukimura."

Masamune flit his eyes questioningly to the man who moved like a charging bull trapped in a small space.

Sasuke nodded, "That's Yukimura's father, Takeda Shingen."

Masamune and Sasuke both bolted to opposite sides of the alley as Takeda Shingen was suddenly thrown between them. Masamune was a impressed, it seemed Sanada Yukimura packed a powerful punch.

"Sanada Yukimura… I can remember that name," Masamune whispered, and he and Sasuke watched Takeda quickly recover to chase down his son. Admittedly, Masamune knew very little about father-son relationships, but he was a fairly certain that this wasn't standard behavior.

A loud screech pierced the air as Takeda aimed for his child but bashed his fist into a trash can instead, causing a white cat filled with terror to shoot out from it. Masamune watched Sasuke expertly dash from the wall to catch the flying cat in midair.

"Well, you're a ninja then, aren't you?" Masamune mildly teased as Sasuke's face was clawed by the large, ungrateful cat.

Sasuke inevitably dropped the cat and watched it run away with a glum sigh.

Masamune was grinning at him expectantly.

Sasuke's lips twitched downward. "… you aren't seriously asking that."

"I am."

Sasuke scratched the back of his head and hopped to the side to avoid Yukimura's latest evasion, "Ah geez, just stick around those two long enough and dodging and catching become habit."

"So, this is normal for a father and son?" Masamune questioned, watching Takeda and Yukimura strike each other tremendously hard. Both bodies seemed to pause from the force before flying back.

"Pretty much. Shingen and Yukimura are pretty much an event. So about our project, you want to head inside and get started? I was the one who was late so I'll treat you to something," Sasuke offered with an easy grin. Remembering that Sasuke was the reason his afternoon was ruined, Masamune reconsidered his present civility. Sasuke noticed and added, "We can sit in Yukimura's section."

"He works h-" Masamune's question was cut off by a loud exclamation from the warring father and son.

"First you are late and then I find you fighting? And what is this I hear about you trying to kill a blind customer? Or was it that you blinded a customer?"

Masamune blinked and answered for Yukimura, pointing to his missing right eye covered by a black eye-patch, "I'm not completely blind. And I was already like this."

The father and son turned to look at him, the elder giant's fists inches away from the brunet's face. Masamune wondered if Yukimura was immortal since he had neither blood nor bruises littering his pretty skin while around them were a lot of broken walls. Takeda looked unharmed as well. It was a family of monsters.

The two continued staring, as if amazed that someone would interrupt them. Masamune was accustomed and indifferent to receiving stares, whether from his appearance, his bizarre temperament, and even the obvious eye-patch.

Yet Masamune was inwardly flabbergasted when the father and son duo turned back to one another and erupted into passionate exclamations.

"Forgive me for not believing in you, Yukimura!"

…what?

"It's fine Oyakata-sama! It is your guidance that sets me on the proper path!"

"It is not that I enjoy hurting you, Yukimura!"

"I know, Oyakata-sama!"

"Hey, ninja?" Masamune called out to Sasuke above the ridiculously screaming men in front of them.

"… do you mean me?"

"Who else? Let's go inside."

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**A/N** ANNNDDD... that is the first chapter. Up and Done. The rest will follow.  
If you wish to send a msg to Her, please feel free to do so in via Review or in a PM (if it is of a more private matter) and I shall direct it to Her.

Thank you for reading!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: The Case of Sarutobi Sasuke Take 1**

**A/N  
**Annnnd another chapter here...  
I promise there won't be as much A/N in the future since I'll be focusing more on uploading these asap, while spacing it to give my ... accomplice and I time to figure out how to we're gonna go about this.. (yeah we didn't plan that far ahead... thought it was more important to get what was already there up.)

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Sasuke knew that there was going to be a problem the second Yukimura had, quite literally, run into Date Masamune. It wasn't so much a sudden prophecy of doom as it was an abrupt realization that someone like Masamune would be pulled to a person who possessed a soul as passionate as his own.

There had been a strange inkling in his heart when he had asked Date to meet him at the Great Tiger Café. It had initially seemed like an ideal situation. He could do his best friend duties and pick Yukimura up from school, drop him off at work for Shingen, and then meet Date there for their project. But Date Masamune was a mercurial creature born of chaos and a harbinger of utter pandemonium. Sasuke should have known that something would go wrong.

And so Sasuke was left in his present situation, his khaki backpack abandoned to the floor by his chair as he sat down to watch Masamune watch Yukimura instead of doing their project. Masamune was fascinated by Yukimura, was staring at him as if trying to place him, like he somehow knew Yukimura was couldn't recall how. Sasuke prayed he never figured it out. Then again, Masamune was the type of man who would stick around until he did. Sasuke leaned down to take out his notes and began rifling through them for project particulars, decidedly ignoring Masamune who was holding his head up with one hand to leisurely watch Yukimura run from table to table.

What bothered Sasuke was that even while he was focused on working, Yukimura occasionally looked back at Masamune. Sasuke hoped his project partner hadn't noticed, but even though Sasuke thought Masamune was a certain form of idiot, even he wasn't that stupid.

"Hey ninja, is he going to come over here soon?" Masamune asked suddenly, and Sasuke was honestly surprised that he remembered he was there at all.

Rolling his eyes at being called a ninja, Sasuke replied, "I think we are in Oichi-san's section today."

"Oichi?" Masamune frowned, obviously remembering that Sasuke had promised to sit in Yukimura's section.

Sasuke sent him a tranquil grin. "Oichi-san is the girl with the red apron at the counter, the one talking to Shingen. She's on break at the moment but she'll be over in a few minutes. It'll give us some time to get started." Hopefully that would be a hint for Masamune to focus on the project and not Yukimura. Then again, Sasuke gave people too much credit sometimes, Masamune obviously being a case in point.

"Then why are we in this section?" the ever-obstinate man asked, making an obvious effort to look at Sasuke instead of Yukimura.

Sasuke looked back and wondered how to answer. Because I don't want you and Yukimura interacting? Because the more you know him the more fascinated you'll be? Because there is a chance he may come to like you too?

Sasuke shrugged, "I like this table."

Masamune had the gall to grin. "Oh, I see. You have a thing for that girl?"

Sasuke gazed at him flatly, then smiled conspiratorially, whispering, "No, no. It's the blonde, Kasuga, that I like!"

Masamune leaned forward as well, as if he were a friend, "The one with legs for days and a seemingly optional clothing preference? Nice. She is pretty hot for a woman. Isn't she in our class? Sits up front for lectures and always sighs?"

Sasuke leaned back. They weren't friends. "Yeah, she never misses one of Uesugi-sensei's classes. It's pitiful. I'm such a great guy, coming to visit her at work every day, but all she does is scorn me for an older man."

"Tough break, ninja. Keep trying though. Giving up on real love makes you less of a man."

Sasuke hated him and smiled widely to prove it. It wasn't as if Sasuke didn't like Kasuga, the girl was gorgeous and adorable. If she weren't so infatuated with someone else he would seriously pursue her. But Kasuga was wholeheartedly in love with their teacher, and had been from her freshman year, which meant Sasuke could flirt and play pretend love as he kept the world blind to his more long-standing affection. Sasuke could be as close to the person he cared about while still keeping himself from damaging their strong friendship. So long as he focused his attention on an equally unattainable other, Sasuke wanted to believe that he could teach himself to stop loving Yukimura.

Sasuke held out his notes for Masamune, trying to get the man to tear his eye from the cheerful waiter who had unknowingly done something to once again captivate the intense man's gaze. He probably broke another plate… no, Shingen wasn't punching him yet. Plates were still safe.

Sasuke may not like what was unfolding between Masamune and Yukimura, but he couldn't do anything about it. In the past, any advance that he had halfheartedly made in respect of their friendship had been inoffensively overlooked by Yukimura. His friend just wasn't interested in love. So while Sasuke may not be capable of winning Yukimura's heart for himself, he could at least not make it easy for Date Masamune to triumph where he had long failed. Sasuke had some pride after all.

Sasuke, arms crossed, considered Masamune critically. At school, the one-eyed menace was an infamous figure, popular in very untypical ways, which is exactly how Date Masamune likes it. For their peers, he was someone to watch and admire from afar, away from whatever turbulent activity he and his gang were participating in. With slightly disheveled, shoulder-length brown hair surrounding his handsome face and accompanied by an eye the color of liquid mercury, Masamune's physical appearance was a flawless match for his devil-may-care attitude. Sasuke could easily understand, though not personally appreciate, the appeal people had in admiring him.

Sasuke sincerely hoped that Masamune was just curious and not walking down the path all others had failed. Masamune was still studying a flitting Yukimura, compelled by his attraction in a way that Sasuke felt was uncharacteristic.

As Sasuke looked through the notebook his inattentive partner had handed him, he realized that Masamune's condition may be worse than he had initially thought. Instead of notes for the project, Sasuke was flipping through Masamune's sketchbook. Figuring that this may as well be an invitation for suitable torture, Sasuke took great humor in realizing that Date Masamune drew and colored like a five year-old.

"Nice doodles," Sasuke snorted out, trying not to laugh. Masamune looked over and actually grimaced before grabbing his notebook and hastily shoving it back into his bag.

"I like drawing," Masamune answered simply, but there was a natural smugness that Sasuke couldn't help himself from ridiculing.

"Are you…aware that you aren't very good?"

"I have a unique style. These will be famous one day." Masamune, Sasuke admitted to himself, while filled with arrogance and conviction, was also probably a little dim.

"I think you are confusing style with stick figures."

"I wasn't finished…"

Sasuke chuckled, "I enjoyed the angry stick-figure pirate."

"That was Motochika. He wants to be a pirate when he grows up."

"…"

Masamune handed Sasuke a different notebook, and then turned away to continue Yukimura-watching. Sasuke shook his head and tried to read the notes Date had taken. They were as scribbled as his sketches had been.

Sasuke was still deciphering when the door opened for a new customer. He wasn't surprised in the slightest to see Uesugi Kenshin walk in. It was about the right time for the effeminate man to visit.

"Isn't that our professor?" Masamune asked with some surprise, disappointingly tearing his eyes away from his prey.

"Yes, he comes here every day."

"He must really like the service. No wonder the leggy blonde works here."

"Her name is Kasuga. And yes, that is why she works here. " That and to kill Shingen, but Sasuke was somehow the only who seemed to notice those inept attacks. Or everyone else just thought they were a joke. In a way, Sasuke also thought it was sort of a joke, but not in a way that would make Kasuga pleased.

"No need to get defensive, right? I don't remember names very well," Masamune said with his hands up in false defense, one of his infuriating grins was pasted on his face to counter any honest sincerity.

"How problematic for you," Sasuke retorted without any enthusiasm.

"Eh, I remember the important names," Masamune added bluntly, not guilty in the slightest.

"Do you remember my name?"

Masamune looked at him blankly.

"You know, ninja," Masamune coughed, changing the subject even though he obviously cared little about Sasuke's opinion of him, "I always wondered if Uesugi was really a guy. He just looks so feminine."

"I'm surprised you didn't just ask. You don't seem like the type to hold back."

"I'm not the type to hold back at all. Not knowing is somewhat fun though, you can place bets with everyone in class."

Sasuke seriously looked at the idiot in front of him, and deciding to distract himself from stupidity, waved to Kenshin. In turn, Kenshin smiled and returned the wave before returning his attention to Shingen who was giving him his usual free order.

"He probably doesn't recognize me," Masamune commented with an amused smile, arms thrown behind the chair and head awkwardly tilted over the back to watch Kenshin. As their teacher began to leave for his next lecture, he was quickly intervened by a lovelorn Kasuga.

Sasuke tapped his pen against Masamune's notebook. "He is probably just choosing to ignore you. It's not like you come to class that often. Be grateful he hasn't dropped you."

"True. Those two, the old guy and Uesugi-sensei, they seem pretty close," Masamune remarked, finally choosing to turn completely in his chair in order to watch Kenshin politely turn down Kasuga.

Sasuke didn't reply to Masamune, focusing instead on his own thoughts. Even though he was a year older, Sasuke had known and been friends with Yukimura for ten years, and through him had met Shingen and Kenshin. The boisterous Shingen had the tendency to wholeheartedly adopt people into his life and make them family. Everyone who got a job at the Great Tiger Café became a part of Shingen's extended family, even Kasuga, though that was probably because Shingen thought her assassination attempts, to get him out of Kenshin's life, were an adorable joke. Sasuke, while he didn't work for Shingen, loved being one of the people he had heartily taken under his wing.

"Yukimura… in that cute, little black vest and that silly red headband. I can pull it down over his eyes and trick him into a kiss. Or maybe tie up his wrists and…"

Date Masamune possessed an uncanny ability to piss Sasuke off. Not to mention kill any thought process possessed by the people around him with his sheer absurdity. It was truly an amazing skill. Sasuke idly wondered if he could convince Kasuga that killing Masamune would win her Kenshin's heart.

"I plan to eat my dinner on this table," Sasuke decided to finally reply as Masamune's strange monologue was continuing into the pornographic. A mother was gaping at Masamune, horrified, and her small son took advantage of her inattention to throw a small cake at Oichi, the poor waitress who had been coming to say hello to Sasuke. The unfortunate girl was blushing so hard because of Masamune that she didn't even notice the cake decorating her front.

Masamune just gawked at Sasuke with stunned amazement, "Are you a mind reader, ninja?"

Sasuke returned the stare with slight wonder. "Do you even realize that you were speaking out loud?"

"…"

"…"

"I'm a very creative thinker."

"Apparently."

"C-can Ichi help you?" Oichi blurted out, her eyes avoiding Masamune to easily settle on Sasuke who was her friend. Sasuke smiled and discreetly handed her his napkin, making her aware of the chunks of cake still on her apron. "Oh!"

Masamune's lip curled down with the revelation that he had nearly embarrassed himself in front of Yukimura, but was completely unaware of the misadventure he had caused poor Oichi.

Sasuke liked Oichi well enough, she was a beautiful woman and highly modest. Long black hair and eyes harmonized with her petite stature, easily making her appear like a damsel most men would fall for. It could get frustrating when she apologized for everything negative that occurred in the universe, like Yukimura dropping a stack of plates, but it was just a part of her personality.

"Ichi is so sorry Sasuke-san! She did not notice you waiting. But you know Ichi was on break Sasuke-san, so why did you sit in this section? Yukimura-kun would have been more than happy to help you!" Oichi questioned her friend as she sat down at their table to wipe off cake.

Masamune considered her for a second before losing interest, but then his eye lit with mischief and he smirked at Sasuke. "Yes, Sasuke-san, why didn't we sit in Yukimura-kun's section?"

Sasuke sighed and inconspicuously looked at Yukimura's section of the room which was near full even at a dead hour of business. Yukimura was popular with the customers. His honest and adorable enthusiasm attracted people to him in a way that Sasuke found amusing but frivolously loathed.

"Like I explained to my extremely friendly project partner earlier, Oichi-san, it was convenient. Well, what do you want Date?" Sasuke did owe him after all, and he would hate feeling somehow indebted to the jackass.

Masamune looked at Yukimura again and opened his mouth to speak, but Sasuke cut him off, "You can't have that."

The two men glared at each other and Sasuke realized that Date Masamune was going to make his life inordinately difficult, which Sasuke hated more than anything. Sasuke was an expert in reading a person's character, and he knew that Masamune was not someone to hold back or live a life of half-ways. He either liked something or didn't. He loved or he hated completely. Sasuke had never met such a troublesome person.

Masamune continued to fiercely glower at Sasuke, but then suddenly smiled to himself as if he had figured out some great puzzle. "So that's it, isn't it…?"

Sasuke realized in an instant that Masamune had taken his statement as some strange, personal declaration of war. And he had realized exactly what Sasuke was praying he wouldn't…

"I think I may love that little bastard." It was said casually, as if feeling an emotion like love from just one meeting was possible. Then again, it was Date Masamune, and somehow this sudden, bizarre confession fit his equally strange personality.

Shit.

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**A/N** Right! So again, reviews will be forwarded to Her, and questions.. will probably take a while to answer since it'll take time for when I forward it to her, and her to get back to me, and then copy/paste reply to reviewer.. or I guess She can just contact you.. if you know her..

BUT YES! Reviews much appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Case of Chosokabe Motochika Take 1

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Chosokabe Motochika lived a very simple life with simple dreams. He always figured he had a good life, as he rarely wanted for anything. He was in his first year of college, had passable grades, a mediocre goal in life, a good group of friends, and an unattainable love. As far as Motochika was concerned, his life was perfect.

In personality, the cheerful Motochika was dedicated and loyal, especially to his friends, which was why he found himself in a rare moment of strife. For the past week, his best friend, Date Masamune, had been missing. Granted, it was normal for him to be missing from class, but usually it was to hang with their gang. Recently, whenever Motochika called Date's cell phone it was always off. In reality, it wasn't rare if Date was hiding from his caretaker, but usually he would call Motochika back eventually. Even texts were being ignored. Date Masamune was an extremely temperamental individual, so Motochika could take this as a sign that he had severely ticked off his friend. Which also wasn't rare. But usually he and Date would beat the hell out of each other and then call it good. It was their thing.

Motochika and Date had been friends since high school. They were troublemakers with similar agendas who enjoyed causing havoc and shirking responsibility and rules. They had met the first day of freshmen year outside the nurse station, which was convenient. Motochika had unintentionally insulted Date by saying that his eye patch was more awesome than the smaller boy's, and Date had bounced back to kick his ass. It had been fun and they were friends ever since. Eternal eye patch buddies.

Date was a weird, quirky guy like Motochika was. It was easy for them to get into trouble and they did so with senseless gumption. No one was sure which boy was the worst influence as they seemed to feed each other's bad habits.

Yet for their years of friendship, this was the first time no one had heard from Date. Yesterday Motochika had gone to Date's place and not even a frazzled Kojuurou knew where his ward was. The fact that Motochika didn't know probably freaked Kojuurou out even more. The gang had been worried as well, all trying in their own ways to discover the secret of their missing leader. They had made posters to put around the school but no news had come of them.

Such troubling events made paying attention in class difficult. Which found Motochika laying face first on his desk in the middle of a math lecture and sighing, his large body awkwardly situated for the position as his thoughts whirled without conclusion. Next to him, wearing an irritated scowl was the love of his life, Mouri Motonari, who usually enjoyed pretending that Motochika didn't exist.

"Will you stop sighing so loudly? Some of us actually pay attention in class!" Mouri quietly hissed without taking his eyes off the teacher. Ah, Mouri, Motochika thought, never change. Your characteristic bitchiness is heartwarming in the face of these perilous and uncertain times.

"Kiss me and I will!" Motochika decided to reply, pointing to his own puckered lips. Mouri turned a dark look at Motochika while swallowing a protest of disgust. Motochika couldn't help but grin as Mouri shifted his chair further away in an attempt to further ignore the man next to him.

Motochika enjoyed being in a class with assigned seating. It allowed Motochika to fawn over Mouri without having to look over people for the small man. He was just so cute when he was angry. Motochika wanted to pick him up, squeeze him tightly, and never let go whenever Mouri made one of his angry faces.

Strange, masochistic affection aside, Motochika was truly convinced that Mouri was the most beautiful man in the world. With a slim, beautiful body and straight, shoulder-length brown hair framing a small face enhanced by bright eyes, Mouri was an unattainable mini-god. And Motochika would happily spend the rest of his life trying to attain him.

The first time Motochika had met Mouri was the first day of this very math class. Date had stolen Motochika's only pencil to pursue his artistic endeavors when Motochika wasn't looking. It didn't matter that Date had his own pencils, he just wanted to see what chaos would occur if he stole Motochika's.

Date liked drawing weird things he dreamed about. Like Motochika being a warrior pirate and surfing with an anchor. Motochika never questioned it, and chose instead to draw inspiration from it. Motochika, who generally had little in the way of life goals, was an avid surfer and had a mission to prove surfboarding with an anchor was possible.

But when the professor, Naoe Kanetsuga, had started passing out a proficiency exam the first day of class, Motochika silently flipped out. Unlike the other students, Motochika hadn't sat close to the front of the class, he had gone to the back corner where he would be capable of not paying attention in peace. Because it was so advanced, the class number was small and Motochika wasn't sitting close enough to anyone so he could ask to borrow a pencil without looking like a fool.

But it was in that moment that an angel in green appeared from late registration. In an instant Motochika's heart exploded as Naoe-sensei, having noticed Motochika's frantic expression and empty hands, pointed Mouri to the empty seat next to Motochika and said with amusement, "Go sit next to that young man. He seems lonely in the back corner". The angel had looked at the teacher and then Motochika with deep consideration before doing as the teacher asked. Motochika kept staring as the angel sat in the seat and organized his essentials on the desk. The angel gazed at him strangely from the corner of his eye but sat as straight as possible. Growing uncomfortable with Motochika's avid gawking, the angel looked him in the eye before proclaiming, "My name is Mouri Motonari, a pleasure. I hope that we can both find success in this class."

"I love you."

Mouri's jaw dropped in extreme bemusement as Motochika stared fixatedly at him.

"Seating partner, my name is Chosokabe Motochika, and could you possibly have a pencil this unfortunate pirate can borrow?"

Mouri opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before sighing and calming himself, "Oh, I see, you are merely reacting to dire straits and found in me likely salvation. That makes sense. Of course. Yes, that makes sense. Here, you can borrow this."

Motochika took the pencil Mouri held out with reverence. It was truly a gift from a mini-god. The test went well enough and the following introductory lecture was as boring as Motochika had assumed it would be. The teacher spent the last hour letting his students work on their first assignment as he looked over the tests. This gave Motochika the perfect time to meMourize his green angel's features and plan. At the end of class, as the teacher passed out the graded tests, Motochika went to return the pencil in order to strike up conversation, but Mouri had already put his things away and waved saying, "Its fine, keep it."

Motochika smiled like a fool, for surely this was good fortune. He watched the teacher hand Mouri his test and Motochika's seating partner arrogantly gave a small, pleased grin at his near perfect score.

"Wow, for such an advanced class as this, your grade is pretty incredible!" Motochika exclaimed while leaning over Mouri's shoulder to peer at the paper. Mouri jumped at his voice and looked a little dumbfounded by having such a large man in his personal space, but recovered enough to give a victorious little smirk.

"Oh, by the way Mouri, I wasn't kidding when I said I loved you," Motochika said in passing, his head still over Mouri's left shoulder and his own left hand sticking out to the side for the teacher to hand him his own test.

"What?" Mouri moved away from him and Motochika leaned back in his own seat.

"I love you. Want to go out with me?"

Mouri made a cute little jaw drop as if trying to process a reply.

This was where fortune smiled on Motochika again as the teacher moved to the front of the class and took this opportunity to declare, "Like I announced in the beginning of class, I hope you like where you are all sitting, because you are stuck there for the rest of the semester."

The students in class laughed politely and shuffled out except for a shocked Mouri and a grinning Motochika.

"Don't you just love three hour classes and the joys of late registration?" Motochika asked, leaning his head on one hand and smiling at Mouri who sat stunned and looked like he was choking.

Mouri then practically exploded from his seat "I refuse to sit next to an idiot! How did you even get into such an advanced course?"

"Oh, the same way I got a higher score than you on this test!" Motochika had thought proving to Mouri he wasn't an idiot would be beneficial to their relationship. Apparently it wasn't. He made a mental note to himself: It's hard trying to become Mouri's friend, it somehow just pisses him off.

Their professor, who was clearing the board and hadn't really been paying attention said, "Yes, congratulations ,Chosokabe-san. I don't think I've ever had anyone get so high a score. Don't let it go to your head though! My normal tests are a lot harder. You are very fortunate to be sitting next to him Mouri-san."

Mouri gaped a little more as if the world had turned against him before bowing to the teacher and exiting the classroom.

Motochika looked at his professor with a keen eye, "You know, you're a good man, Naoe-sensei!"

Naoe-sensei returned the gaze a little confused but replied, "Thank you. Have a good day then, Chosokabe-san," and with that Motochika left the classroom with a dazzling grin on his face, practically skipping to where he knew Date was waiting for him.

Date looked up at a happy Motochika and blandly announced, "I lost your pencil."

Motochika just lunged at Date and hugged him tightly, "That's okay! There is a God! And you are truly and unintentionally my best friend!"

Date patted him on the back and said, "That's nice", before pushing him away. Date began glaring at his sketchbook like it was an incarnation of evil. Poor guy needed a better hobby than drawing…

In the present Motochika sighed happily in the joys of old meMouries before sighing in sorrow as his thoughts returned to Date who was still missing.

"…so…why are you so upset?"

Motochika blinked, truly it couldn't be, but it seemed even now Date was helping his best friend find his way to love.

"Did you just willingly talk to me?" Motochika asked, looking down at Mouri with excitement. Motochika thought he would die from how cute Mouri looked with a light blush dusting his cheeks. "I can't believe it….you actually really care!"

"No, not really. You are just very annoying. Especially when you aren't acting like you normally do. I can handle you well enough usually. I don't know how to act around you like this…"

Motochika mentally frolicked in joy before the sad reality of his circumstances grounded him.

"Mouri…I lost my Date. Have you by chance seen him?"

"…"

"It's been a week and he never answered any of my calls and no one replies to our posters," Motochika explained.

"Those ridiculous posters all over campus were from you? I should have known. Only you and your friends would believe such a horrible drawing of Date wasn't some type of joke," Mouri ran a hand through his hair as he rolled his eyes. "Honestly, you could have just used a picture of the man. He is probably too embarrassed to come to school."

"But Date says that hand drawn pictures have more sentimental value."

"There is a reason Date is a failing art major. Besides…why would you use a picture drawn by amateurs when looking for a missing person?" Mouri's eyebrow ticked as Motochika stared at him blankly. "…oddly enough I do know where he is."

"You do? You know where my Date is?" Motochika would have hugged him if he didn't think Mouri would beat him with a textbook.

"You are so strange. Unfortunately I do. He has been spending his days pestering a friend of mine at The Great Tiger Café."

…Mouri had friends?

"I've heard of that place. It's getting pretty popular. Want to go there after class? We can bother Date, I can meet your mysterious friend, and we can finally have a date!" Motochika thought this was a very good idea.

"I have work after class," Mouri replied, and he didn't sound very sorry at all.

….Mouri works?

Nevertheless, this would be Chosokabe Motochika's first encounter with the unique world that existed inside The Great Tiger Café.

* * *

**A/N** umm yeah same as last chapter... I think I'll stop writing A/N for a while unless something actually comes up that requires an A/N

**Nami-la-folle:** I'm thinking that's not a problem, but I did forward your review to Her and she'll get back to me/you when she gets it ;3 Thank you for the review!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Case of Date Masamune Take 2

* * *

Date Masamune quickly discovered that he was in very deep over his head. The main source of his problems was a bouncy, adorable waiter with a ridiculous headband who set every nerve of Masamune's body on fire. It had been a week since their first meeting and Masamune had somehow warped into a worthless creature in the throes of unrequited love.

Date Masamune had known upon meeting Sanada Yukimura that he was the "One" (and since then his opinion had just been reinforced) as ridiculous as it sounded, even to him. Yet something within Masamune had just clicked upon meeting him. All the dreams and disconnected points in his memory were all in some way associated to this one being who made his soul completely breathe passionate infatuation. Masamune didn't know what it all meant, but he did know that Sanada Yukimura was somehow the heart of everything to him. It had taken him a few minutes to get over the shock and acknowledge it, but once he had, it was impossible to get the boy out of his mind.

Date Masamune had never looked for love once in his life. He had dated a couple of people before out of curiosity and because it was the thing to do, but romance had never once interested him. Masamune was never one to settle for anything less than ideal. He was not at all a natural romantic, but he had always figured that if he was going to be in a relationship, it had to be the real give-everything-up-for-it emotion of love. Otherwise, what was the point of bothering?

After he had left the café that first night of their meeting, Masamune had walked home in a stupor, his mind parading images of warm, passionate brown eyes and a beautiful smile. When he got back to the apartment he shared with Kojuurou, he had ignored the older man's welcome and locked himself in his room, immediately taking out his sketchbook while walking to his desk so he could immortalize Sanada Yukimura on paper.

A small part of him wanted to believe that being fueled with such pulsating passion would allow him to succeed this endeavor, thereby allowing Masamune to give the drawing as a gift which would make Sanada Yukimura fall into his arms. Sadly, in spite of Masamune's appreciation for the arts, he himself was not an artist. And though he had spent all night on his sketch and skipped school the next day to sleep in, nothing changed the fact that the portrait looked absolutely nothing like Sanada Yukimura. A different tactic was needed. So while Masamune had little idea at first in how to go about his romance, he knew the only place he could find resolution to this situation was at The Great Tiger Café.

Masamune knew that he was as good-looking as he was arrogant. And he was extremely arrogant. Though he had never really bothered with romance in the past, it wasn't as if he didn't have an excess of admirers. But on top of everything else that made Sanada Yukimura special, the younger man would come to prove that he had an incredible ability to turn Date Masamune into a humiliated fool.

The second time Masamune went to The Great Tiger Café it was late in the afternoon. Masamune had looked through the clear glass and spotted Sanada Yukimura at the counter. The younger man had looked up from what he was doing to smile and wave at Masamune. Figuring this was his best chance at making an entrance, Masamune focused on the boys face and waved back with a saucy smirk while opening his mouth to say something provocative… only to walk painfully into the glass door. With little dignity left, Date Masamune stumblingly retreated for the day as Sanada Yukimura came outside to call out his name and ask if he was alright.

Masamune had needed the next day to recover from that humiliation and hid in his room drawing out strategic plans. Like art, Date Masamune was not a creature of strategy. He ended up illustrating dancing samurai for a couple of hours before whacking his head with the sketchbook for getting off track. Then he drew Motochika as an anchor-wielding pirate again, only this time he was being bashed with a hula-hoop by his love interest Mouri Motonari while Kojuurou danced with a leek in the background. Masamune had quirked a brow and decided that people may be onto something when they say he may be in need of psychiatric help. With music from his favorite opera booming loudly from his stereo to jumpstart his thoughts, Masamune paced his room a few times before deciding to just try again at the cafe the next day. Resolute and more relaxed, Masamune began sketching out a picture of two people standing under a bare sakura tree in winter, one with arms wrapped around the other from behind, clinging closely. It radiated darkness and pain with too much shading and inspired horrible feelings in its artist. Masamune dreamed about it that night, but most of the vivid details were gone by the time he woke up, and all that was left was a deep melancholy which didn't suit his character at all.

Masamune's third attempt at speaking with Sanada Yukimura was much more successful than the first but also a greater failure. This time he made it into the café. Inwardly applauding himself, Masamune allowed Oichi, the cake-girl, to lead him to one of the small tables and hand him a menu. As she politely walked away, Masamune looked around as discreetly as possible for his waiter. Because Sanada Yukimura had been late the day they met, Masamune came around 3:30 to be safe and not miss him. Masamune was visibly excited even as he tried to remain cool, his heart pounding as his body barely sat still. When Oichi came back a few minutes later he ordered some tea. Figuring he may have a long wait, Masamune pulled out a novel and his sketchbook. He pondered between the two before deciding on the book. Three hours later, Masamune came to the conclusion that it was possible for Sanada Yukimura not to work every single day. When Masamune had debated on demanding his favorite waiter's schedule, he had taken one look at the behemoth that was Takeda Shingen, café owner and future father-in-law, and decided to just go home.

The following day Date Masamune was in luck. This also meant something had to go wrong, because when it came to Sanada Yukimura, Masamune thus far had no luck. Pretending to leave for school late that morning so Kojuurou wouldn't notice his declining attendance, Masamune walked with his bag in hand and arrived just before the afternoon rush at the café. Today it was the leggy blonde, Kasuga, who waited on him, and after ordering tea and a slice of cake, Masamune briefly considered asking her what happened in their Japanese literature class that he had missed the day before. Then he acknowledged that he didn't really care and started sketching another image from a prior night's dream. It was of two fighters, red and blue, locked in combat. Well, that's what it was supposed to be. In reality, Masamune thought it looked like two anorexic gerbils trying to strangle each other.

Masamune loved everything about art except making it. Which made being an art major extremely difficult, especially because he really wanted to be good at it. The reason Masamune had started drawing to begin with was because he wanted a way to immortalize the strange images in his dreams which easily seemed like small pieces of a larger plot. Masamune had hoped that his drawings would be able to unite the disjointed specks in his memory.

An hour into his wait, Masamune gracelessly passed out over the drawing and woke to a hand lightly shaking his shoulder and calling his name. He opened his eyes and found himself face to face with Sanada Yukimura who was smiling at Masamune with his usual cheer. Masamune bolted up in his seat immediately, shocking the waiter into stepping back.

"Sanada Yukimura!"

"Yes, Date-san! Um…well, it seems we keep meeting in strange circumstances. I'm sorry if I startled you," Yukimura rubbed the back of his head cutely with one hand as he looked at Masamune who belatedly realized he was not only gaping but pointing at the young man.

Masamune hated himself for uncharacteristically blushing at his action, and then hated himself even more when Yukimura politely handed him a napkin and looked away. Masamune looked at the napkin with confusion. Until he realized he had fallen asleep on his cake, which was now beautifully decorating the right side of his face. After that, any time Yukimura came by, Masamune would heroically try to say something suave only to stumble and further his embarrassment. Masamune just couldn't understand it…he used to be so cool.

When Yukimura came by to give him more tea, Masamune reached to take the cup from his hand before the younger man could set it down himself. Yukimura looked at him with light surprise and Date gave him the most debonair grin he could manage, intending to smoothly thank him. Instead, Masamune had spilled the tea in his lap and ran home before he could do anything else humiliating. He also realized two hours later that he forgot to pay his bill.

The last attempt Masamune made was truly a work of a genius. It was so simple that Masamune wanted to laugh at himself for not thinking of it before. A love letter. Masamune had spent an entire evening looking through his vast collection of books for anything romantically inspired. Generally, Masamune's tastes in literature were towards Japanese historical fiction, so he didn't have much to work with. The internet, on the other hand, was very helpful and inspired a lot of ideas. Masamune wrote different ideas on the blank pages of his sketchbook and then began practicing. By the time he finished writing, Masamune wondered if it was maybe a bit too much, but then figured nothing could possibly be wrong with a thirty-eight page love letter. It just made the emotion of the letter and the entire situation all the more meaningful. He wrote every feeling he could think of, though he avoided mentioning their specific meetings of mortification so that Yukimura would want to like him. Five hours later, Masamune finished editing and gleefully shoved the letter into his sketchbook to send the next day before hopping into bed fully-clothed for a couple hours worth of sleep.

True to his recent run of luck, Masamune had woken up late and bolted to the café. On the way there, he paid a young boy a block away from the café to give the letter to Yukimura after vexing himself by having to look for it twice in the sketchbook in order to hand it over. Masamune walked into the café ten minutes after the boy had run out, passing by Takeda Shingen and Sarutobi Sasuke to sit down at his table while Kasuga gave him an odd look for seating himself once again. Masamune blanched when he saw her hold up the letter to show Takeda and Sarutobi. Apparently telling the kid to give it to the "hot one" was a little vague. Masamune gave a little exhale of relief when he remembered that he had scrawled Yukimura's name on the outside of the note before handing it to the boy. Takeda called out Yukimura's name and the boy soon popped out from where he had been cleaning dishes.

"What is it, Oyakata-sama?" Yukimura asked, drying his hands and rolling down his white sleeves to enthusiastically do whatever was needed. Masamune smiled a little conceitedly to himself. He made sure his posture was to his advantage so that he looked nothing less than sexy when Yukimura was ready to leap upon him in reciprocation of abundant love.

"I don't know, some kid ran in and handed it to me before running out, saying a strange man paid him to deliver it to a hottie," Kasuga explained.

When phrased like that…it really didn't sound very cool.

"I thought it was for me from-" Kasuga suddenly blushed brightly and held her cheeks while Sarutobi rolled his eyes and took the letter from her.

Takeda smiled thoughtfully and asked, "Who is it you thought it was from, Kasuga?"

Masamune was the one to roll his eyes now. Takeda was either really smart and just teasing or really brainless. The pigeons pecking his trash in the back alley probably knew the blonde was after Uesugi Kenshin. Each day that Masamune had come in to the café to thoroughly embarrass himself, Uesugi had also come in at least once and made adoring eyes at Takeda while Kasuga made the exact same eyes at Uesugi. Masamune figured Uesugi used every long break between classes just to visit the café. It was really creepy to see his professor, who was widely called the God of Literature with both reverence and fear, reduced to an admiring fangirl at the mere sight of Takeda. Masamune looked at both Takeda and Uesugi and just didn't get it.

Sarutobi handed the letter to Yukimura who looked at it with confusion before opening it. Masamune cringed but suffered through his discomfort as the other three crowded around Yukimura to read his letter as well.

"Its…really, really long," Takeda deduced as Yukimura blushed after he finished the first page and began flipping through the rest.

"…it's a love letter," Yukimura said, adding to the obvious deduction, his endearing face still flushed.

Masamune gave a toothy smirk full of pride.

"My boys first love letter!" Takeda announced and slapped Yukimura on the back proudly.

"Who wrote it?" Sarutobi asked as Yukimura recovered from the powerful slap and flipped until he reached the last page.

Moment of truth….

"It doesn't say…"

…what?

Sarutobi took the letter and skimmed through it. "No signature. What a strange guy you've found."

Masamune slumped dejectedly in his chair and considered beating his head on the table's surface. He doubted Yukimura would think more highly of him after that though.

Masamune should have known he had forgotten something in his excitement.

Damn it…

Date groaned audibly as Kasuga took the letter from Sarutobi and started reading it herself.

"This is…incredibly beautiful…but…"

…at least someone appreciates his efforts…wait…but?

The four stood in silence as Masamune listened in with agony. Finally, Yukimura decided to voice what they were all thinking.

"Am I being stalked?"

NO!

Maybe…

… damn it.

Date Masamune had always considered himself a cool but passionate soul. Perhaps, in this case, too passionate. Masamune decided it was a good thing he didn't write his name because Takeda would have ripped him in half. Everyone would have cheered for the death of the creepy stalker. Uesugi would arrive just in time to be covered in Masamune's blood and still think Takeda was greatest thing ever born.

"It's…sort of sweet."

This made Masamune lift his head from its date with the table.

"'Sweet', Yukimura?" Sarutobi asked, scratching his nose and probably thinking of better words than "sweet".

"Hm. Sweet. This person obviously thought a lot about what to say. And it took a lot of courage to write this. Someone who feels this burning passion for another can't be bad! I would rather this person have delivered it in person, but it's still nice to know someone who can care about another individual that much," Yukimura explained, a light smile on his face as he took his letter back to read it completely through.

"You have no survival instincts do you?" Sarutobi asked drearily.

Though it killed him a little inside, Masamune, in odd retrospect of his unsigned letter, had to agree with the ninja a little.

Yukimura just shrugged and walked back to where he had been cleaning dishes, folding the letter up and hiding it inside his vest.

Masamune tapped his book on the table a couple of times before deciding to go home, vaguely noticing Takeda eying him while Kasuga sprouted, "I wish someone would write me a letter like that! Like Kenshin-sama!"

Masamune closed the door behind him as Sarutobi replied, "I will!"

From this final memory Date Masamune was brought back to the present, sitting at the table he had eternally claimed and glaring at anyone who would dare contest his place in Sanada Yukimura's waiting section and life. He was reading another novel and ignoring the new sketchbook he had bought the previous day after he had unconvincingly persuaded himself that he couldn't draw a good picture because the last one, like the preceding eleven, had been cursed.

Masamune ignored the chime of the door opening though his ears perked at the sound of Yukimura welcoming a new customer and offering to seat him.

"Nah. Don't worry about it! I see my friend now!"

It couldn't be…

"Alright, sir! I'll be over to help you soon!"

Don't be so friendly to strange people, Yukimura.

"Give us a minute. I may have to bash his head in."

"….uh, alright!"

No. Just no.

"Hey, Date! Where have you been? Do you know how much trouble it has been finding you?"

With resignation, Masamune closed his book as Motochika sat down across from him, a devilish grin lighting his pale features. Masamune wondered who he had to murder for telling Chosokabe Motochika where he was.

"Hey pirate." It was a resigned greeting.

"Yo. Guess you never saw the posters?" Motochika sprawled back in his chair with his blond hair spiky as always and the silly purple eye-cloth covering his left eye. It wasn't an eye patch. Masamune wore the eye patch in their relationship.

"Posters?"

"Yeah, the guys and I put them all over campus. Mouri loved them."

"I just bet he shares my current enthusiasm."

Motochika and Masamune grinned at one another. Masamune thought they had an odd friendship. Motochika was the type to be liked no matter the situation by everyone (minus Mouri), while Masamune was the guy who always left bad impressions and gave offense. Which Masamune thought was strange since Motochika got into trouble way more than he did. Like when Motochika set fire to his apartment by trying to prove he could make pancakes without a stove.

Masamune tilted his head as Eye of the Tiger began playing throughout the café. He refused to admit that it oddly suited the strange place. Motochika proved he lacked dignity by beginning to air guitar.

"Yo, old dude! Crank it up!" Motochika loudly called out to Takeda Shingen who laughed and actually did as asked. Masamune also refused to admit that he was taping his foot to the thunderous song. He figured Takeda Shingen thought it was his theme song or something. Masamune swore he had caught him dancing a couple of times behind the counter.

Masamune's eyes averted from Motochika to the object of his eternal affection who was making his way over with another menu for Motochika.

"Hello, and welcome to The Great Tiger Café! If there is anything I can help you with please let me know!" Yukimura smiled uncertainly at Masamune and Motochika who were intensely staring at him. "How are you today, Date-san? I'm glad your friend was able to find you! Oh, and don't worry about the bill you ran out on. I paid it for you since you seemed to be having quite an emergency that day."

So uncool...

Motochika blurted out, "We're eye-patch buddies."

…and not getting any better.

Yukimura laughed a little before the staring began again. "…would you like a refill while your friend looks at the menu, Date-san?"

He was so cute today.

"…I'll let you guys talk and look over the menu. Just call me over when you are ready." Yukimura backed away and Masamune inwardly snarled at himself for messing up again.

"Wow, he is cute man," Motochika said when Yukimura was out of earshot, "Wouldn't have been so worried if I had known you were just chasing a cutie."

They watched Yukimura stack plates and count them with a little frown before picking them up. Masamune contemplated offering to help him, but Yukimura fell three steps later with a crash. Opportunity gone. Damn it.

"Alright. So what's up with you and the sexy waiter?"

"Nothing yet."

"You aren't trying hard enough."

Masamune glared at Motochika and retorted, "I'm trying damn it!"

"So what's the problem? Poor kid offers to help you and even instigates conversation and all you can do is stare at him. You won't get anywhere with that."

"I try talking to him! I've tried a lot of things! I just…freeze."

"Yeah, you should stop doing that."

"What are you, a love master now? How's that working for Mouri?" Masamune easily tuned out Motochika's newest monologue, which began with a dramatic sigh before plummeting into a story of tragedy and failed advances.

Masamune tilted his head to look past Motochika and watch Yukimura throw up his hands in defense while explaining to Takeda how he managed to drop more dishes. Takeda punched him into a wall. Was that really legal? And wasn't more being destroyed by a flying body? Was it humanly possible to hit a man that hard? Could the owner of a café really earn enough money to pay for the damages?

"Are you listening?" Motochika suddenly asked, realizing that Masamune's attention was blatantly elsewhere.

"No."

"Alright. So about your waiter…maybe you could be a hero and save him from his evil boss right now."

Masamune decided to like Motochika's idea.

"Hey waiter!" Masamune called out, getting both Takeda and Yukimura's attention. Takeda pushed the boy, still reeling from the hit, towards them and he stumbled a few steps before righting himself.

"Don't you think that it was a little rude to call out like that?" Motochika asked of his friend.

"I don't think he even notices."

"Maybe it's because he likes you."

"…you think?"

"Probably not."

Masamune duitantly wondered if Yukimura particularly minded bloodshed.

"What can I help you with?" Yukimura asked, rubbing his cheek as he pulled out a pen from his apron pocket.

"Hey, waiter, what's your name?"

Masamune wanted to slap his forehead at Motochika's question. Yukimura looked down at his nametag before looking back at Motochika, as if wondering how to reply in a way that wouldn't insult. Masamune wished he wouldn't bother; Motochika had the brain of a brick whenever the mammoth thought he was being helpful.

"My name is Sanada Yukimura."

"Cute name. Suits you. So what got you this job?"

Masamune couldn't believe it…. Motochika actually was being helpful. The would-be pirate blatantly winked at Masamune to get him to join in the conversation. Yukimura gave a questioning head tilt but answered the question anyway.

"Well," Yukimura began, "my father over there owns it and-"

"…your father just punched you into a wall?" Motochika looked a little horrified.

Masamune, though quiet, had his entire focus shifted to Yukimura with rapt attention, begging the boy to tell him anything and everything about him.

"It happens. But anyway, he was looking for help and I asked if I could have a job. I went through a trial run and customers generally seemed to like me and I do a good job, broken plates aside, so here I am!"

Customers that liked him. Rivals?

"So how do you feel about cat ears?" Motochika asked with a pleasant smile.

"I'm sorry?"

Masamune truly hated Motochika some days.

"Just curious, don't worry about it. Anyway, just give me a piece of the chocolate cake. The biggest piece you can find!" Motochika demanded, and Yukimura began smiling with him.

"Sweet tooth, huh? I can relate."

"No, it's not for me. It's for my optionally introverted friend over here. He likes sweets a lot. It's always such a hassle for me. Hey! Why don't you two be friends and go out for sweets sometime! That way my poor, poor sugar-hating mouth can have a break!"

Masamune gaped at Motochika as Yukimura just laughed and went off to complete the order. Masamune grabbed Motochika by the collar of his shirt and pulled him close.

"You idiot! I don't like sweets!"

"I know. But he doesn't yet. And you can just tell by looking at him that he likes sweets. Play your cards right and you could have a date!"

"You idiot!"

"You should be more appreciative Date. After all, because I'm your friend, I'm going to help you win his heart!"

"Oh God..."

"We can start tomorrow! You come here every day after all! We can start planning and making posters! The entire gang can help! There isn't any way we can lose!"

Masamune easily pictured what having his entourage around could do.

"Motochika?"

"Yeah?"

"Please go home and never come back."

"Why?"

"Because I am liable to stab you with my fork."

"…can I come back next week?"

"No."

"What if I am in disguise?"

"That wouldn't help at all."

"Huh, that's too bad. I like cosplay."

Yukimura ran back with the cake and a refill though Masamune had never actually requested one.

"Here is your cake, Date-san. And if you would like, there is a cake shop not too far from here. Since your friend says you like sweets you will probably like it. I can show you where it is one day if you like."

Masamune wanted to cuddle him. He also really needed to thank Motochika. Later.

"Iyeswillgo!"

… Masamune hated himself so much sometimes.

Motochika and Yukimura both blinked.

"I think he said he wants to go," Motochika translated, "Hey, Yukimura, when is your next break?"

Yukimura looked at the clock on the wall. "Um, I suppose whenever I want at this point."

"Wonderful! I have to go and I feel bad leaving him alone with his cake. It's such a sad image and my feeble heart can't take it! And…can you please help him finish off his cake as a fellow Advocate of Sweets? You see, I am a horrible, horrible friend. I forgot that he is on a diet."

"A diet?" Yukimura asked, looking at Masamune's body which was extremely fit.

Masamune couldn't even enjoy the stare or use it to his advantage. Motochika had, in some degree, just broken his brain.

A DIET?

"Don't tell him I told you, Yukimura, but he used to be really fat."

FAT? Masamune had never once been anything close to fat his entire life. How the hell did Motochika consider this helping? And how was it a secret?

"Um…okay, I won't tell." Yukimura glanced down again at Masamune who was sitting in his chair, broken by shock.

"Wonderful! See you two tomorrow! Take care of the bill and enjoy your cake, Date-chan!"

Masamune wanted to kill him. He really, truly wanted to murder his best friend.

"Well, your friend is definitely fun, isn't he?"

Masamune wondered if committing seppuku with a tea spoon was dignified.

Yukimura looked at Masamune who was still staring at his spoon with a strange look. "…I think he put me on break now, so I could join you if it's alright. I really do like this cake, after all. Oyakata-sama has restricted me so I can only have it once a week. Technically this is yours though so I suppose it doesn't count…"

Yukimura sat down and took a fork to steal a bite of the cake. Masamune watched transfixed as the boy indulged himself, a charming expression lighting his features.

"Your friend really likes to tease you, doesn't he? I really had trouble not laughing between what he said and the looks you were giving! He reminds me of Sasuke a little. I will have to be careful not to believe anything he says."

"Huh?" That jolted Masamune out of his thoughts.

"I'm your waiter, right? I would know if you liked sweets," Yukimura explained, and Masamune wanted to covet him forever, "The only sweet you ever ordered was a tiny cake and you didn't even eat it. I even think you eventually fell asleep on it. Your friend is pretty funny though, luckily I know you a little bit so I wasn't fooled!"

Masamune picked up a fork and tried a small piece of the cake before making a face at just how sweet it was. Yukimura laughed and dragged the plate toward himself and Masamune couldn't help but smile at him.

"Guess that means our day of sweets is off," Yukimura stated with a grin as he swallowed a huge piece of cake.

"I'll still go." Masamune hadn't realized he had spoken until Yukimura gave that cute head tilt and paused in fork-stabbing for more cake. Masamune coughed and pushed all his courage into speaking, "I mean that it could be fun…getting sweets with you."

"Or we could do something we both like. What are your favorite hobbies, Date-san?"

Date Masamune was irreversibly and unrepentantly in love with Sanada Yukimura, and proved it by participating in their first real conversation.

"That cake slice is practically falling off the plate. You cut a piece that big on purpose because you knew you would end up eating it, didn't you?"

Yukimura just smiled around his fork and Masamune used a hand to cover his chuckling mouth.

"So about your hobbies, Date-san?"

* * *

**A/N** Whoo! Three chapters in one day! On a roll here ;D

Uhh one thing I wanted to ask is to please inform me if you find any errors. I have a feeling I might've screwed up something while I was cut/pasting things and some parts might have gotten lost... If something seems missing, it probably is, so msg me mk! ;3

Thank you for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: The Case of Chosokabe Motochika Take 2**

* * *

True to his word, Motochika went back to The Great Tiger Café the next afternoon. Unlike Date, whose entire existence was focused in the café, Motochika had a reason to attend class. Even though that reason didn't exactly reciprocate his feelings, Motochika was forever optimistic when it came to Mouri.

As he walked through the café door, he was pleasantly surprised to see Date and his waiter, Yukimura, actually conversing. Which was quite a big improvement from yesterday. Hopefully Date didn't find a way to screw it up. The bastard was pretty hot-blooded, so he rarely thought before acting, and that usually led to many amusing screw-ups.

Thinking back, Motochika hoped Date had forgotten about the day before. Eh, all's well that ends well…

The two future lovers, if Motochika had anything to say about it, looked up as he closed the door. Date glared at him. Yup, he remembered everything. Yukimura, on the other hand, gave a small wave of goodbye to Date, who frowned, and then walked towards Motochika.

"Hello, Chosokabe-san! My break is over so it's your turn to visit with Date-san. Maybe I will even be nice and bring you some cake!"

Though they had only met twice, Motochika already liked Yukimura. Granted, Motochika was happily in a committed one-sided relationship with Mouri, but even he had to admit that there was something wonderfully overwhelming about the enthusiastic Yukimura. He was innocently adorable, a little naïve maybe, had a sense of humor, and wasn't nearly as easily offended as Date or Mouri. Yukimura also inspired a strange urge in Motochika to pet him on the head like a puppy. So Motochika did.

"Just call me Motochika. In fact, Motochika demands you do. Everyone calls me Motochika! Date must have told you all about me, eh?" Motochika continued, patting Yukimura's fluffy head while the younger man just gazed at him quizzically. From the corner of his eye, Motochika could see Date twitching and fingering a table knife. It was more than a little fun to watch but Motochika took pity and stopped petting Yukimura.

"Date-san told me a lot of bad and funny things. But I wouldn't mind being your friend!" Yukimura answered. Motochika loved the easy reply. It was nice having a new friend who answered honestly and didn't hold back.

"Great. Feeling's mutual. And I can always go for some cake. Especially if it's free."

Yukimura laughed and replied, "I'm not so sure about the free part, but I suppose I did mistakenly offer."

Yukimura handed Motochika a menu and went back to work. Date was still glaring at Motochika when he sat down at the table Date had claimed for himself.

"So, how did it go yesterday?" Motochika gleefully questioned, honestly wanting to know the details. He ignored the voice in his head that said he probably sounded like a gossiping teenage girl. He also ignored the table knife still clenched in Date's hand. Why didn't this place just have chopsticks? Then again, it may be more painful for Motochika to discover how Date would make chopsticks a formidable weapon.

"It went great in spite of you. Didn't I tell you not to come back? And don't be so friendly with my waiter!" Date was being petulant, how cute.

"Come on, give me details man! I left you a great set up!"

Date arched a brow at Motochika with great deliberation before finally toothily grinning like the bastard Motochika had been missing lately. "Like I said, it went great. You had nothing to do with it, just so you know. We talked for about an hour while he was on break. He ate that entire cake slice. It was kind of amazing. I have to buy him a whole cake one day, just to see what happens."

"And the conversation?" Motochika eagerly asked to get Date back on track, leaning forward in his seat.

"It was… natural. Once we got talking, it was really easy."

"Yeah, he seemed to be that kind of guy. And look at you! You were making it so difficult before!"

"Whatever."

"You're welcome!" Motochika smiled and began perusing the menu.

Date watched Motochika browse for a moment before turning his attention to drawing in his sketchbook. Motochika wished he would get a more rewarding hobby. Didn't he used to do Kendo?

"Didn't you used to do Kendo?" Motochika asked almost as quickly as he had thought it, and Date looked at him strangely while contemplating Motochika's bizarre thought processes.

"Once. It got too easy so I quit. Too many rules and not enough real competition to keep it interesting." He went back to drawing.

Motochika shrugged and went back to his menu having gotten his answer. Now what to get with so many goodies available…

"Hey Date, pay for me okay?"

"…why?"

"Because I'm poor."

"You aren't poor."

"No, but you're extremely rich. Therefore, compared to you, I am poor."

"No, you're just an ass."

"Come on, be a buddy. You are set for life. You don't have to do anything. You even have a live in maid."

"Kojuurou is a Battle Butler. Not a maid."

"When it comes to Kojuurou it means the same thing. The only thing he battles is dust and your dirty laundry. You know, you are really lucky that colleges don't call parents for missing attendance. Kojuurou would flip out if he knew you missed a week's worth of classes."

"Kojuurou isn't my parent."

"He may as well be. He's like an extremely manly mother. I always have an urge to buy him an apron that says that…"

Date just shrugged without concern, but his eyes flicked upwards as Yukimura began making his way over to their table.

"Do you like art, Date-san?" the waiter asked as he noticed Date sketching.

Date paused in sketching and debated on how to answer. "Yes…"

"That's why he's an art major!" Motochika supplied helpfully, figuring the one thing the two hadn't talked about yesterday was Date's art skills.

"Oh wow, an art major, Date-san? That's impressive." Poor Yukimura, Motochika thought, he was in for a surprise.

"…I'm not that great…" It seemed to physically hurt Date to admit that he was bad at something. And his admission was still an understatement, but at least it was honest. Good Date, Motochika inwardly applauded.

"That's an understatement," Motochika said out loud before thinking. Oops. He was beginning to realize why Date and Mouri may get mad at him so often.

Yukimura just grinned and said, "If you are an art major you should be at least somewhat good. Besides, Date-san is a very passionate person! I can tell! So he of all people must be able to use that passion to ignite within himself the path to mastery through hard work over talent!"

Poor Date, Motochika thought. This was going to be even more painful for him. Motochika figured he should help lighten the blow to his pride.

"No, he really isn't. That's why he is the famous failing art major of our school!" Maybe that had been a bit too much…

Date finally snapped and chucked his sketchbook at Motochika's head. Motochika would later refuse to admit to emitting a less than manly squeak, but because fate favored Motochika more than Date, Yukimura caught the sketchbook before it connected.

"Wow, that was cool!" Motochika exclaimed to Yukimura while Date seethed.

"Sorry Date-san, we try to avoid personal injury at this café!" Yukimura brightly explained, and both Date and Motochika turned to look at an imprint his body had made into the wall earlier. Yukimura's gaze followed. "Oh, that's different! So is there anything I can get you, Motochika-san?"

"It's Motochika. And I want a whole cake."

"No he doesn't," Date countered. "He doesn't want anything. He is poor, stupid, and without means of paying."

"Yes, but you see, Yukimura, Date is such a good person that he offered to pay for me, his best friend!"

"You two must be really good friends," Yukimura mused with humor and then turned to Date, "Can I look through your drawings?"

Motochika started to feel a little bad. Art was Date's single weakness aside from puppy-cute waiters, and now both weaknesses seemed to be meeting to potentially humiliate him. Date turned a little grey as his eye went from sketchbook to expectant puppy-cute waiter. "I suppose…"

Yukimura flipped through the pages, pausing and looking curiously at one page and then the next before moving on with a perplexed look. Then he smiled at another before becoming more subdued as he continued. "Your pieces seem to have a theme."

Date was curious about Yukimura's expressions as well and opened his mouth to explain before clamping shut.

It was time for Motochika to rescue him again, "He draws out his cracktastic dreams!"

"Cracktastic?" Yukimura repeated the foreign word thoughtfully.

Date frowned and was forced to explain himself before Motochika could add more, "I try drawing out my dreams. I want to be able to draw them out, so that I won't forget little details, but they never end up right."

Yukimura looked at the pictures, a little lost in thought, before saying, "Write."

"Eh?" Date questioned.

"Pictures aren't the only way to immortalize an image or an event. Write out what you see. Like it's a story. You can get more details down that way, right? Even if your drawings aren't the works of a master, you can write extremely well!"

Motochika wanted to laugh as Date seemed to be having an epiphany.

"That's…a good idea. Wait, how do you know how I write?"

Yukimura jumped a bit and was a little shifty as he handed the sketchbook back to Date who used it as an excuse to touch the waiter's hand. "Sasuke and Kasuga-san are in your literature class. Sasuke says if you weren't such a good writer Kenshin-san would have dropped you for missing so many classes last week."

"Probably true," Date replied, still in a daze at having touched Yukimura. Motochika thought it was cute how they had forgotten he was there. They went silent for a moment and Motochika figured that extended silence just wouldn't do.

"Well, now that Date has a new way to record his dreams, you can say that his drawings are terrible Yukimura! He won't be offended. He'll just buy a new sketchbook because the one he has is cursed! Or better yet, maybe he'll buy a new notebook since he is changing professions!"

The two jumped a little at remembering he was there.

"Oh no!" Yukimura responded, wringing his hands, "I actually do like them! But…"

"But?" both Date and Motochika asked, and Yukimura gave a considering look at the sketchbook, deep in thought, before holding out his hand for it again. With an attentive look Date handed it over, and the two customers watched as Yukimura turned to the picture of the red and blue fighters before flipping to a fresh page to quickly re-sketch it. He took out the pen from his pocket and moved it against the paper with fast strokes. It was strange to Motochika that sometimes Yukimura gave off the aura of a puppy before a look in his eyes would suddenly reflect a caged tiger. Like now, as Yukimura focused on his task. But the duality of it was probably one trait that fascinated Date.

"They should look…more like this I think!" Yukimura announced after a few minutes, and held up the new rough sketch. Date and Motochika's jaws practically unhinged. For having such a short amount of time, the kid was amazing. It was the same picture, but actually good.

"…they don't look like retarded fish-people anymore," Motochika commented.

"Anorexic gerbils," Date corrected.

"…no wonder you fail at art…"

"Shut up!"

"I'm serious! I had no idea they were samurai!" Motochika praised, "You're a badass, Yukimura!"

"Um, thank you, Motochika-san, but I just used what Date-san already had!" Yukimura glanced at Date and bit his lip, hoping he hadn't offended.

"It's Motochika, not Motochika-san!" Motochika corrected automatically.

Date glared at Motochika but took the sketchbook to look at it closely.

"It's nearly perfect," he admitted, fingering the black scrawls which formed one samurai with six swords facing another with two spears. Their faces weren't detailed since it was a rough sketch, but it was still impressive to see more of the details.

"I think Date-san is much more incredible! You must really love art to have such dedication!" Yukimura exclaimed, obviously in admiration that Date was too willful and defiant to give up on his talentless hobby.

"Date is just obsessed with art. Not even just paintings. He likes the history and all that weird museum stuff. And the theater too! It's kind of gay. But don't tell him I said that," Motochika said, turning back to his menu and trying to find something expensive for Date to buy him for being so helpful.

"…" Date gave him that flat-faced expression again. As if he couldn't believe Motochika was for real.

"I think it's great. You're making me feel really unrefined," Yukimura said brightly.

"Then go with me!" Date blurted out, and then blinked as if he couldn't believe he had actually said that.

"Huh?" Yukimura asked, tilting his head cutely with confusion. Motochika wanted to pet him again.

Date looked like he was physically trying to recover his blunder and shouted, "******?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that…" Yukimura said, and then suddenly jumped as a low ring went off. The waiter quickly dropped his hand into the front pocket of his apron and pulled out his cell. As Yukimura fumbled to open it to see who was calling he dropped the phone with a loud gasp. Motochika quickly bent down to catch it before it hit the tiled floor and discreetly looked at the name listed on the glowing screen.

"Thank you, Motochika-san!" Yukimura said with relief.

"It's Motochika. Here, Yukimura, as thanks for saving my face from Date earlier!" Motochika replied, handing the younger man the phone. Yukimura looked at the name as well, and a dark look passed over his face before the boy closed the phone and ignored the call. This was quite curious to Motochika. "Not a friend then? Maybe an ex?"

Date's gaze focused swiftly on Yukimura's face as the boy put away his phone. Yukimura jumped and blushed at the question but replied, "Oh no, not an ex! Not even a friend!"

Motochika still found it a little odd, but the boy had one of those faces incapable of lying and both he and Date could easily tell he was being honest. Still though…

"YUKIMURA!" Takeda Shingen called from the counter, "I swear no one actually works here…"

"Yes, Oyakata-sama! Motochika-san, I will be back soon so please figure out what you would like Date-san to buy for you!" Yukimura called out as he immediately left the two customers to run to Takeda.

"Careful Date, I think you may have a rival..."

"…what was the name?" Date asked, having noticed Motochika's apparently poor discretion.

"Han-something!"

"That's not very helpful."

"Sorry. Hey, Date?"

"What?"

"Did you really ask him to date a museum with you?"

"Idiot. You're hearing things."

"Uh-huh. But you know, this is good news!" Motochika stated and Date turned to give him a questioning eye. "I'm serious, Date, he knew you were a good writer because Sasuke and Kasuga are in your class!"

"So?"

"So that means that he asks about you! That's really good!"

Date paused, and then smirked to himself as if everything was going to plan. Motochika thought he gave himself too much credit for coincidences, but let Date have his moment of glory.

The door opened with a chime again, and a strong but moderate "Sanada-san?" pierced the air. Motochika nearly broke his chair turning around in it. There was no way he was this lucky…

"The fuck Motochika?" Date exclaimed at the quick movement, "I didn't know your Mouri-sense was that in tune…"

"Date! Look! Mouri is right there!" Motochika loudly whispered back while pointing to his green clad love. Mouri was talking to Yukimura and Shingen and actually seemed to be oddly happy. So Yukimura was the friend Mouri was talking about!

"I noticed. Really."

"Right there!"

"Yeah. He is right there."

"This is perfect Date! Mouri and Yukimura are friends! This means that we can boy hunt together!"

Date turned from watching Mouri and Yukimura to staring at Motochika, "I didn't think it was possible for you to sound that creepy. No wonder Mouri hates you….wait, is Mouri hitting on my waiter?"

"What do you mean?" Motochika asked, watching as Yukimura handed Mouri an apron like his own.

"Mouri is wearing his clothes!"

"…I think Mouri got a job here."

"Mouri works?"

"He does now. Maybe he has to pay rent or buy something. He should just come to me. I would buy him anything!"

They watched Yukimura walk with Mouri to a vacated table and start picking up dishes together. Though Motochika couldn't hear them, he could tell the atmosphere was pleasant and they seemed to be having fun. How odd for Mouri.

"Mouri wants things? Mouri has needs? And aren't you poor?"

"What is it with you and Mouri? And yes I can be poor if it works in my favor," Motochika explained, still watching the duo as Date continued the conversation. But Motochika knew that Date was just as focused as he was.

"I don't know. He is just so…Mouri. And fuck you. Hey, he touched my waiter!"

"Yeah, but only because your waiter was going to fall. Your waiter needs to stop balancing plates."

"Mouri's hand lingered."

"It did not."

"Mouri is petting his hair."

"Mouri is getting cake out of his hair."

"Now Mouri is wiping his face."

"Your waiter is covered in cake. You should just go up to him and offer to lick it off. It would solve both our problems."

"….you know, that's a good idea."

Motochika paused and finally tore his eyes off the pair to look at Date. "Eh? I wasn't serious. I mean, that's really sexual harassment. You could get kicked out forever and your waiter will never know your undying love for him. In fact, he will think you are extremely creepy."

"Not that! I'm going to get a job!" Date stated as if Motochika was an idiot.

"But you're rich."

"What does money have to do with anything?"

"And that is something only the rich can say."

"Oi! Old boss guy!" Date yelled out to Takeda.

"Good start," Motochika snickered to himself.

"Yes, stalk him, keep raping him with your eyes, surely that will make him yours." Both Motochika and Date jumped and looked to the left of their table to see Sarutobi Sasuke drinking tea.

"WHERE THE HELL DID YOU COME FROM?" they both questioned.

"…I've been here…"

Motochika and Date leaned across the table to one another and Motochika whispered excitedly, "You're right! He is a ninja!"

"I'm not a ninja."

"Date! He must have secret hearing techniques or something!"

Date nodded sagely, "I know. It's disturbing."

"No, I'm just at the table next to you. And even whispering you two are loud."

Motochika turned to the tattooed man, "How long does it take to become a ninja? And is there a pirate division?"

"You two really think that I'm a ninja, don't you?" Sarutobi asked in complete wonderment.

Motochika gravely nodded and said, "You know though, ninjas should know better than to wear green in a red room."

"…"

Date looked at the ninja with deep consideration, "Why are you here?"

Sarutobi recovered himself and looked back, "I'm always around here at some point during the day, why?"

Date just looked at him and Sarutobi sighed with exasperation, "Relax, Shingen and Yukimura are practically my family. Besides, you know I'm after the blonde."

Date relaxed again, which meant his innate haughtiness was back as well. "Everyone knows you are after the blonde. Uesugi-sensei knows you are after the blonde. The blonde knows you are after the blonde. The blonde thinks you're a perverted ass."

Motochika could tell that Sarutobi was not fond of this assessment at all. He was proven correct when Sarutobi smiled sweetly at Date and called out loudly, "Hey Yukimura, this guy likes your ass!"

"Son of a bitch!" Date practically screeched, a sound Motochika happily noted he had never heard made by a human before, and watched with a confused Mouri and Yukimura as the ninja was chased out of the café by a one-eyed crazy man wielding five table knives and a spoon.

Motochika hung out for a half an hour and doodled all over Date's sketchbook after ordering cake to be put on Date's tab. Mouri was ignoring him, apparently put out at Motochika having discovered the place he worked at so easily. For someone as unsociable as Mouri, Motochika was surprised to see him getting along so well with Yukimura.

Mouri didn't seem to like interacting with anyone else at the café. In fact, this would be the last place Motochika would have placed him in for work. Everyone seemed to annoy him except Yukimura. Takeda Shingen's boisterousness seemed to slightly alarm him. Which was strange since Yukimura was hardly a stoic figure. Nevertheless, and to Motochika's growing ire, it seemed that Yukimura was the reason Mouri may have gotten a job here.

Luckily, to pull Motochika out of a potentially depressing mindset, Date came back into the café flushed from his recent activity but walking ramrod straight towards Takeda Shingen who looked at Date unimpressed but curious. Obviously he viewed Date as the brat he was.

Motochika got the strange impression it was a showdown. Everyone from waiter to customer was staring at the two men who had locked eyes. Like all else strange about this café, music was never harmonious but simply fun. The song "Eye of the Tiger" began beating from the stereo for the third time that afternoon as the men remain locked in nonverbal combat. Then, Date walked forward and placed his silverware weaponry on the counter.

"I want a job," Date said seriously, his one eye focused with defeating any of Takeda Shingen's counterattacks.

"I'm sorry, but I just hired someone new and I don't really need any more workers right now," Takeda crossed his arms, waiting for Date's next move. The people in the café waited with silence for the next move.

"I need a job."

"I'm sorry but I can't help you. Why don't you try one of the other businesses in this area?"

"Everything I want is in this business."

Motochika cringed as he realized that Date was going to hit the point of desperation that forces a man to go where he never wants to. And while Date Masamune was a creature born from pride, he was also a man in truly in love for the first time, and this was a battle he could not lose.

"Are you discriminating because I only have one eye?"

Motochika covered his face with his hands, wishing to block out the image while at the same time wanting to ask Date why he actually went there.

"…you can't be serious," Takeda finally responded.

"I am completely serious."

And so Date Masamune, age nineteen, put on an apron before Takeda Shingen could even hire him and acquired his first unofficial job.

"I'm not hiring you."

"Yes you are."

"I'm not paying you!"

"Eh, I don't need money."

* * *

**A/N** I know I said there won't be anymore A/N in a while, but I just caught a mistake! Not that She made the mistake, but rather as I uploaded the file onto FF(dote)net, A PART OF THE FIC GOT CUT OFF! Now I'm paranoid that parts of the previous chapters might've had some parts ripped out, so if you see something that doesn't make sense, feel free to inform me, PLEASE! (I dun wanna end up butchering this story!)

**** **What Date said here in the original script was "Wouldyoulikedatemuseumwithme?" But for some reason, FF(dot)net keeps erasing, so I'll just put that here.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: The Case of Mouri Motonari Take 1**

* * *

Mouri Motonari was a well-organized man who enjoyed simplicity. In lieu of this, he tried to make the details of his life as simple as possible. His apartment was relatively bare and with little in the way of personal effects. The closest to clutter that could be found was the desk covered with heavily notated texts. Motonari woke up at six in the morning, got ready for the day, went to classes, went to work, and then went to bed after making sure all his class assignments were done in advance. This was the content and simple life of Mouri Motonari.

When it came to people, Motonari found that he much preferred distance. Often Motonari would seek quiet between his classes at the college campus and be revolted by the idiots who pervaded his space. No matter where he went he was either foolishly hassled or just completely disrupted. His so called peers were more concerned with their games and dates and clothes and phones and so on and so forth. People were loud, cruel, self-absorbed, childish, insecure…

Motonari didn't feel human. Motonari could not be human; he refused to be like them. If this was humanity, then Motonari would rather be something simple, like a flower.

Motonari had one straightforward and simple passion. It was not typical for a man his age as it was not a person, a career or a fandom. Motonari liked plants, specifically flowers. They were simple, perfect without effort, quiet and straightforward, uncaring of how others viewed them, full of secret depths, and needed nothing more important than natural sunlight to survive. Motonari would much rather be a flower, far more than he would ever wish to be a human.

Since he was young, Motonari had viewed flowers as the sun's legacy. What other gift of the sun could produce such beautiful creations? The variety of colors and shapes all held a unique and simple elegance that Motonari admired.

Yet his hobby was one rarely shared, and as he grew older, obsessions changed in the eyes of others from being cute to strange. Caring more for plants than people had earned him snide remarks and cruel nicknames, making of him an indifferent pariah throughout his schooling years. At one point in his young life, Motonari wished he was as stupid as the rest so that his life would be different, but he had quickly come to realize that he would rather be above the masses than a part of them.

In his last year of high school, Motonari's parents began to pry into his life with less diplomacy, and he knew they were praying that he would use his remarkable intelligence to become something they could be proud of. Motonari had gotten tired of hearing about doctors and lawyers and CEO's. They were all so not simple, and in no way could make him happy. It would make his parents blissful, but Motonari had long since stopped caring about the extent of their happiness in lieu of the degree in which they were capable of unconditional love unhindered by self-interest. Motonari was their pride, a genius to show off, but it had been a long time since he had been their child.

Motonari had applied to the colleges his parents wished but secretly used his own means of applying to ones they had never even considered. It was Motonari's future, he would do as he liked. Their temporary appeasement was merely a tactic to make his time in their house less difficult. By the time he was accepted to every college he had applied to, much to his parent's jubilation, Motonari was already planning to enroll in a college that catered to his interest in the science of botany.

Motonari didn't give them time to kick him out of the house in some juvenile tactic to shape him to their will. By the time he was accepted, Motonari had saved enough money to pay for his introductory year and a nearby apartment while still having some money left over to live off of until he could find a new source of income. Motonari was not a fool who believed in miracles or fate. Through careful planning and dedication he made his own destiny, and it would be hindered by no one and nothing.

Motonari had made sure he had time to job hunt before classes started, focusing on jobs which wouldn't bore him and not inconvenience him at the same time. As he walked from his new apartment to the campus to judge the distance and time it would take for him for when school actually started, he saw some boy giving some girl a bouquet of flowers. Motonari had rolled his eyes before pausing with deep contemplation and watching the girl bounce about. Regardless of their so-called happiness, Motonari had walked to them and demanded from the boy the location of the flower provider. The boy had been irritated at Motonari's interruption, but Motonari was far more determined than any man could be aggravated.

In the end the boy had told Motonari the location to make him go away, and Motonari had nodded silently and gone on his way, fully intending to make ample use of the information immediately. It had surprised Motonari that the flower shop, Asakura Flowers, was as near as it was. Dim-witted boy probably needed a quick way to make his girlfriend happy. Nevertheless it worked in Motonari's favor.

Motonari walked into the store and was immediately calmed by the delicacy and serene beauty that encompassed Asakura Flowers. More than his parent's house, more than his apartment, this place was home. Motonari browsed the selection, carefully examining and sometimes applauding the available choices and the care the flowers were being given.

"Can I help you?" Motonari refused to jump at the sudden voice. Motonari composed himself before turning to the man who had just come from the back room, the tools in his hands indicating that he had been trimming flowers just prior to Motonari's entrance. He was older than Motonari but still young, probably in his mid-twenties, with short, thick black hair and a narrow, handsome face.

"I'm impressed with your selection. If possible, I would like to work here during the times I am not attending school," Motonari was upfront and confident, preparing to do all he could to be a part of this hidden sanctuary.

The man gave a puzzled grin, obviously never having met anyone like Motonari. "You don't hold back when you want something, do you?"

"Generally not," Motonari replied honestly. "I am well prepared to verse my knowledge verbatim until I impress you."

"This could be interesting if nothing else," the man walked forward, "My name is Azai Nagamasa. You are?"

Motonari nearly blanched at realizing he had not even given his name. Such unprecedented rudeness would have to be made up for. He bowed low, even though he hated to bow to anyone, and announced, "My name is Mouri Motonari. I am starting my first year of college and plan on studying the science of botany."

"Well that's interesting, let's test your knowledge," Azai replied, and Motonari nodded, briefly wondering if the man had any connection to Azai Corporations, before focusing and coming to each selection of flowers and listing any and all information from scientific fact to silly meanings that he easily recalled.

In the end, Motonari knew that he had impressed Azai Nagamasa, but for some reason Azai seemed to have reservations.

"You certainly know a lot. More than even I bothered to know. But this is also a shop. How do you cater to people?"

Motonari inwardly cringed. If anything, his superiority over the common man was made into a weakness in such a situation where he would need to inevitably cater to them no matter his profession. Why couldn't anything be simple?

The best tactic would have to be honesty, as even Motonari knew he could not hide his opinion of the general public for long, "I am not the most sociable of men, but I do have my positive traits and I implore you to seriously consider the advantages my presence could add to your establishment."

"You do realize you could have just asked for an application?"

"…"

Azai kindly grinned and Motonari wanted to scowl at his sympathy in return, "Well, I did just lose a worker recently. It's definitely been quieter with her gone. I supposed it couldn't hurt to have a new presence here."

Mouri Motonari went home in absolute triumph.

For the rest of his break Motonari put in many hours toward improving Asakura Flowers. Azai quickly came to genuinely trust and like Motonari, who in return was still distant but respectful. There was nothing Motonari needed more than the flowers. Nothing more he needed to understand outside of himself than these children of the sun.

As if a prophecy, the only downside of Motonari's ideal part-time job were the customers. Generally they sickened him. So far Motonari's favorite event was a boy who had to apologize for dating two girls at the same time and having both girls figure it out. His first idea for reconciliation? Flowers. For them both. It was disgusting and immoral. Motonari was forced to listen to The Fool brag to his friend about it while browsing the available flowers. Motonari hated false emotion, especially from people who weren't serious and played with the feelings of the naïve. Not that Motonari respected the naïve any better, but there were villains and there were victims, and both were guilty but only one intentionally harms.

The Fool ended up walking with pure arrogance up to Motonari and asking for his advice in what to get for two scorned women. Motonari suggested the Rhododendron with a smile and gave him two sets of Narcissus flowers instead. Motonari kept his false smile and offered to put messages in small cards for both girls, making sure each girl got an envelope with her name but the other girl's card inside. Motonari never saw that customer again and was quite near- jovial over the fact.

Many others customers came through the doors of Asakura Flowers from Mouri's break and into his new school year, most easily forgotten. But there were three shoppers who would leave very unique impressions on Mouri Motonari.

The first was an individual named Akechi Mitsuhide, a most sinister man even by Motonari's low standards. He seemed to take a liking to Motonari, though Motonari was unaware of what he did to pique his interest. Akechi visited once every couple of weeks and made Motonari grateful that he could place himself stoically behind a counter. The man rarely bought anything, just generally came to browse, but his presence chilled Motonari. Motonari knew deep in his relatively empty soul that this man was evil. Especially when he looked at Motonari and announced that thorns were the best part of a rose.

The second customer Motonari had been prepared to dislike. At first glance he seemed just like the typical "everyone else". He walked in with an annoyed blonde girl and began perusing the flowers with interest. Motonari inwardly sighed, expecting another boyfriend seeking forgiveness.

The boy was younger than Motonari with an attractive physical form and wild, long auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail. He just seemed to ooze exuberance and cheer. He made Motonari want to chain him to a chair so he would stop moving back and forth across the store.

"Calm down, Yukimura!" the buxom blonde harshly whispered, as if Motonari wasn't already annoyed.

"But look at them all Kasuga-san, they are all so beautiful! I've never seen some of these before!" At the boys reply Motonari felt deep satisfaction, though was a little irritated as well that the only person to verbally make notice of his additions to the store was this energetic creature.

The blonde looked at Motonari and bowed for forgiveness, "I'm really sorry, but he is just easily excitable. We work for The Great Tiger Café a few streets away. Our boss sent us here to get flowers to liven up the café. Oichi, one of our coworkers, used to work here and suggested we come. Is Azai-san available?"

Motonari tilted his head before replying, "No, I'm the only worker here today. Perhaps I can help you?"

Kasuga nodded, "Please, I have no idea what would be best for a café. And Yukimura just wanted to come because he thought it would be fun."

Motonari glared at the active Yukimura before walking out from behind the counter to reluctantly help his customers.

"Is there a theme for your café?" Motonari asked.

"Chaos."

"Happiness!"

The blonde woman sighed loudly, "Yukimura, stop helping! You promised that you would let me handle this! Just looking at the place makes you think of chaos."

"Sorry, Kasuga-san! I just really like it here!"

Motonari was surprised that someone like Yukimura would appreciate something simple like flowers.

"Forgive me," Kasuga started, and then quickly glanced at his name tag, "Mouri-san, but anything really red would probably work. Or gold. Or both. There isn't much variety outside that in that place. Maybe some nice roses?"

For some reason Motonari pictured an old western bordello. He looked at Kasuga and figured it was possible.

"But that's so typical, Kasuga-san," Yukimura responded, voicing Motonari's own complaint, "Oyakata-sama doesn't want the café to be anything close to typical!"

Kasuga huffed in reply.

"…what type of café is it?" Motonari questioned again, turning more towards the strange boy who had invaded his paradise. Yukimura was visibly happy that Motonari was asking him.

"It is really red and gold, but it's to motivate the most fervent of an individual's passion and encourage them to find success and fulfill their deepest dreams! The café is a motivational resting spot on the way to triumph! Anyone who enters our café is destined to find happiness! That's why we started it!"

Kasuga quirked a look at Yukimura, "I didn't know that."

"…you didn't?" Yukimura looked a little put out.

"Chrysanthemum," Motonari quietly voiced.

"Huh?" the two customers exclaimed.

"Chrysanthemum. Red and white Chrysanthemum. That's what you should get," Motonari walked to the said flowers and pulled out one stem of each to show the two.

Kasuga frowned, "Isn't that a little a little typical as well?"

Yukimura looked excited though, "You're amazing! It's perfect! Look how pretty they are, Kasuga-san!"

Motonari quashed a thrum of pleasure that filled him.

Kasuga shrugged, "Sure, why not. We'll get them. They may be a different kind of typical but these do seem to fit that strange place."

Yukimura frowned, "You could be a little bit more excited, Kasuga-san…"

Kasuga threw up her hands, "Yukimura, they are just flowers. Yes they are beautiful, but it's not like it's a big deal. It's not like we are actually giving them to someone….or someone giving them to us…"

Kasuga looked downcast in memory for a moment before turning away.

Motonari wanted to slap her with the flower.

"Of course it's important, Kasuga-san! We may not be directly giving these to one individual, but it's still incredibly important! These flowers belong to every person who comes to our café. We're buying for them! There isn't anything as comforting or loving as giving flowers to people. They are so perfect because they are a simple beauty everyone can understand and be soothed by. That's exactly why Oyakata-sama followed Kenshin-san's suggestion! You seemed to appreciate it then. If we can add anything of comfort to the café we must do it!"

Motonari realized a bit belatedly that Yukimura was an extremely passionate individual. At the same time, Motonari was a little happy. This reasoning of Yukimura's wasn't selfish or self-serving in any way. The boy radiated honest altruism in buying flowers from Motonari. Granted, he did not view flowers in the same way Motonari did, it was completely different, but the core of their love was the same.

Kasuga looked a little uncomfortable and was blushing at something Yukimura had said, even as Motonari rang up their mass order.

Yukimura smiled brilliantly and thanked him for all his help before preparing to leave with Kasuga.

"If you would like, if you want to come back, I can cut you a deal if you keep buying in bulk."

Yukimura and Kasuga, arms full of flowers, turned to Motonari who had a hand clamped over his mouth in shock. Motonari hadn't meant to speak, but he just couldn't let the only true customer he could accept walk out of his life.

Motonari expected some awkward refusal, but instead, Yukimura smiled brightly and replied, "That sounds great! Can I come next week? I really can't wait to see what other flowers you can show me!"

Motonari was in a daze for the next few hours, grateful the customers thinned as the day progressed. He didn't understand what he was feeling, couldn't comprehend why something so simple had pleased him.

Motonari was excited. Motonari was happy. Motonari wondered what had happened to his isolated world.

As the week progressed, Motonari began to reconsider his strange emotional response to the vibrant boy as a flight of bizarre fancy. He had probably just been worn out from so many fools during the day that someone so honest and upfront in interest was akin to a godsend.

The next time Yukimura came it was during a lull in business. Motonari steeled himself, curious as to how his encounter would turn out, and watched the boy clad in a black high school uniform run in.

"Hello, Mouri-san! Everyone loved the Chrysanthemums so much! Thank you!" Yukimura practically frolicked to the counter. "Oyakata-sama was really happy. I told him about how amazing you are and how you know everything about flowers!"

Motonari felt that strange surge of pleasure even as he felt that the description of knowing everything was a little exaggeratory.

Yukimura began looking around the shop with that same puppy-pleased expression he had the first time they met. Motonari refused to view the upturn of his lips as a smile.

"That's a Delphinium," Motonari said, coming out from behind his counter and took out the stem to allow Yukimura to touch the beautiful purple petals.

"It's beautiful. I really love how unique the petals are!"

"It is unique," Motonari thought out loud, staring more at Yukimura than the flower.

"What is this one?" Yukimura asked after handing Motonari back the Delphinium stem.

They spent the next two hours just going over flowers. Yukimura expressed interest in any flower that caught his eccentric eye and Motonari actually found himself thoroughly enjoying himself with explanations. It was pleasant. It was companionship.

Yukimura left in a rush after he realized he was late for work, and said goodbye to Motonari before exclaiming, "Oh no! Oyakata-sama is going to punch me into a wall again!"

Motonari chose not to question that.

Yukimura came back the next day since he had forgotten to actually purchase flowers. Kasuga had come with him this time to make sure he kept on track, so Motonari's fun was cut short.

Motonari looked forward to the third visit, and Yukimura apparently had as well since the boy cheerfully announced that he had been reading up on the different flowers he liked so he could ask better questions.

They talked about more than flowers though. Motonari told an amazed Yukimura about wanting to be a botanist, and in return Yukimura told Motonari more about the café. They compared customers and stories. Yukimura remembered to buy flowers this time, and Motonari offered to go on break to help him deliver them, curious about the strange place Yukimura had related. He was almost a little disappointed that it wasn't the bordello of his imagination. That could have been amusing.

Their next visits occurred similarly, and Motonari was startled to find that when he ordered new flowers to be shipped to the store with Azai-san, he would look for the types of flowers he knew would catch Yukimura's interest. He listened to the customers more, discovering bits of the outside world Yukimura was a part of and understood, so that Motonari could discuss more with him. He heard customers talking about the new Toyotomi game, for instance, a historical piece, and instantly wanted to ask Yukimura about it since the boy had an enthusiasm for both history and gaming.

Yukimura was someone Motonari could respect. He was like Motonari, in a different way, a different loneliness that he tried hiding, but that Motonari could sense.

…but since when had Mouri Motonari been lonely?

The third customer of note was an irritant Motonari would come to consider an interloper named Maeda Keiji. He was taller than Motonari with a thick mane of brown hair pony-tailed high on his head. He had an air of effectual cheer that wasn't the same as the honest, selfless Yukimura, wasn't nearly as meaningful or warm. Motonari instantly disliked him and the opinion held.

But Motonari could not deny the great business the man brought, often buying many bouquets for different romances Maeda was greatly optimistic about. Motonari wondered if he was something of a man-whore. Motonari got concerned though, when Maeda came more often and Yukimura missed their weekly meeting.

This evoked a strange awareness in Motonari. He realized that Yukimura was important to him, his very first friend. Yukimura wasn't a genius, but he was earnest and kind in an unpretentious way. People generally thought Motonari weird, but never Yukimura. Before Yukimura, Motonari had been fine with being ignored, left to his books and his plants. He believed that he only needed to understand himself and survive the world that teetered so precariously beneath him.

But the less he saw Yukimura the more uncomfortable he began to feel. Motonari was like a flower in another cruelly true sense, surviving if not thriving. Easily torn apart without a sound of complaint. Beautiful and protected by thorns. Admired from afar but doomed to shrivel and be thrown away.

Yukimura was different than Motonari. He may exist in a similarly lonely world that none but Motonari could sense, but Yukimura tried to repair it by surrounding himself with people. People like Motonari who needed him as much as he needed them. He came to realize that this was why Yukimura worked at The Great Tiger Café. It was a small world where Yukimura was the sun who could try and bring happiness into the lives of others.

Yukimura was the sun…

A day after Motonari's sad epiphanies, the whirlwind named Yukimura barreled into his life again, bursting through the glass doors.

"I'm so sorry, Mouri-san! Between classes and work I've been really busy! I feel really bad for missing our meeting! Granted, we don't really have a set time, but I still feel really bad!" Yukimura cried out as he tried to catch his breath.

Motonari smiled in spite of himself. Life was back to normal. Everything was okay.

Motonari brought Yukimura water and they sat and caught up on each others lives. Motonari hated to admit that he tried to keep conversation strong, extremely unlike him, so that Yukimura wouldn't want to miss another week.

"Have you heard about that ToyoMouri game?" Motonari asked suddenly.

Yukimura cast a startled and then slightly glum expression that did not suit him, "Toyotomi. What about it?"

"I've heard some customers talk about it. It's the last game Toyotomi worked on before his suicide, right? I was just wondering if you had played it. You said before that you liked games and historical pieces. This seemed to be both."

"I've played it. It's alright. If you like your life as it is I don't recommend it."

What an odd statement, Motonari thought. And Yukimura seemed even more depressed than before.

"Oh, Keiji-kun has been coming here, hasn't he?" Yukimura suddenly asked, turning the conversation into something bright. It took Motonari a second to remember that Keiji-kun may be Maeda Keiji.

"Maeda Keiji?"

"Yes! I let slip to Keiji-kun at school that I come here for flowers and now he keeps bringing flowers to school. I hope he isn't a problem. He can be really…Keiji-kun-like!" Yukimura concluded.

"He brings you flowers?" Motonari didn't like this. Didn't like Maeda Keiji.

"I'm not the only one. But I do seem to be one of his favorites. I generally just take them to work since I feel bad refusing them after he spends so much money. Oyakata-sama finds it amusing. I don't really..."

"It's not a problem," Motonari assured, even as he wanted to say it was. Motonari wanted to kick Maeda in the head and say that Yukimura was his friend.

Since when did he care so much about another person's feelings?

"I want to apologize to you Mouri-san. I'm probably going to have to visit less often because Oyakata-sama needs me at work and school is getting hectic. I'm not doing that great in my Math and English classes, and I need to pass to keep my job and graduate," Yukimura explained, looking truly regretful.

Motonari felt a pang in his heart. He didn't like where this conversation was going at all. Yukimura had unknowingly opened up Motonari's world, and if he left everything would have to go back to how it used to be. Having had a friend for the first time, Motonari couldn't stand the thought. Before Yukimura, Motonari hadn't even been aware that his life was missing anything.

What was a flower without the sun?

The next day Motonari considered his options while sitting in his math class. The buffoon next to him was texting someone frantically on his phone and wondering out loud why they had been missing for a week. Even now Motonari couldn't believe that he was stuck next to him for an entire class term. When they had first met, because registration had screwed up his classes much to the organized Motonari's dismay, he had been late to class and forced to sit next to Chosakabe Motochika. At first Motonari had assumed that the man with a cloth over one eye and an imposing figure would be serious, and had been flattered when the man had started staring at him as if he had never seen such a being as Motonari. Motonari had introduced himself, but then that idiot had to open his mouth. Motonari generally didn't like people, especially people like Motochika who were never serious and enjoyed toying with the affections of others. Luckily Motonari had no heart to be taken advantage of…or rather, he didn't used to.

Motonari tuned Motochika out, and took notes until the teacher called for break. Frowning and having the sense to find a task to keep him busy so as to not give Motochika ideas, Motonari pulled out a book.

"Whatcha reading?"

"…"

"Is it good?"

Motonari wondered if Motochika would lose interest in him if Motonari revealed what a "boring" person he was.

"It's a book on botany."

"Like plants and stuff?"

"Yes, like plants and stuff."

"Is it fun?"

"Reading or botany?"

"Either?"

"Reading is pleasurable. Botany is my hobby," Motonari explained, unknowingly lighting a small fire in his usually bland eyes, "In fact, this will probably sound exceedingly dull to you, but I plan on traveling in my career as a botanist to see many plants in other parts of the world."

"That's awesome! So, does that mean I get to surf in South America?" Motochika questioned, his eyes focused on the light in Motonari's.

"…"

Plan backfired apparently.

Motonari didn't like Motochika. Motochika wasn't simple. He was chaos. Motochika made him angry. Motochika made him feel too much for someone far too childish. He couldn't trust Motochika.

"Is a sea anemone a plant?"Motochika asked randomly, doing that weird thing he did when he wanted to read over Motonari's shoulder.

"…"

"You're ignoring me again, aren't you?"

Yukimura wasn't simple. But Yukimura had an innocent passion that could be trusted. All of his complex facets were dedicated to bringing joy and peace to the lives of others. Motonari acknowledged that some of this was Yukimura's self-delusion born from old wounds and a rejection of self-happiness, but it was still Yukimura who was honest in wanting to make everyone he could happy. The more serious Yukimura was the more adorable and determined he became. And Yukimura was more than just a dear friend, he was the sun that could guide the emotionally stunted Motonari into sensation without intentionally hurting him. Yukimura was the sun that had given Motonari a place in the world. Without Yukimura, Motonari would once again be hollow and alone.

Motochika wasn't like Yukimura. Motonari ignored the part of himself that wished Motochika was.

"Would you pay more attention to me if I called you a prideful five-foot princess? I mean that with absolute love just so you know. But I am really getting an attention-starved complex."

"…"

What could Motonari do to end such uncertain feelings?

"Hey Mouri, did you know that your address is inscribed on your bag? It's a very nice leather bag by the way. Since I know where you live, does this mean we can have sleepovers?"

"…"

"I'm a very heavy sleeper. We can make a sleepover last for days. I'll make you breakfast?"

Motonari was grateful when class ended that day. Motonari was proving to himself the extent of his genius, and although he was not fond of people or feelings, he didn't want to lose the one important and true person he had in this shallow world. So he could only do one thing.

Motonari went to The Great Tiger Café, oddly passing Motochika's friend, Date Masamune, who was stalking out and muttering about letters. Motonari blinked in confusion and watched him trudge away before walking into the café. Motonari couldn't see Yukimura, but walked to Takeda Shingen.

Yukimura came out of the back at hearing Motonari's voice as he began introducing himself to the intimidating, large man behind the counter.

"Mouri-san! Hello! Oh, I got my first love letter!" Yukimura adorably announced and Motonari wanted to give a small smile in spite of himself. He waved instead and turned back to Takeda.

"My name is Mouri Motonari," Motonari announced again, having learned from his last job venture with Azai, even though Takeda Shingen already knew who he was. "If at all possible I would like a job. I don't mind what tasks you set me, but I very much would like to work here."

Takeda seemed to pause and study him, trying to place him.

Yukimura came to his rescue, "Oyakata-sama! This is our friend from the flower shop! He always helps me deliver them and is really responsible! He even specially orders flowers for us, like the ones we enjoyed last week!"

"So this is the boy that keeps you from coming in on time?" Takeda asked with a dark look. Motonari felt a small twinge of fear.

Yukimura just laughed, "Yeah, that's the one. Though it's my fault for always being late. He is the responsible one! You should definitely hire him!"

Motonari watched as Takeda looked at Yukimura's best puppy expression, and was amazed when the large man started laughing.

"Call me Shingen, Mouri-san! In fact, I'll call you Mouri. We are all family here!"

Motonari wasn't sure what strange world he had just walked into as Takeda pat him hard on the back, and it was only Yukimura's arm around his shoulders that kept him from completely face planting. Motonari would now have to divide his time between school and his two jobs, spending more time at Asakura Flowers since he was still the only worker there aside from Azai-san, unlike Shingen who had many strange employees.

The next day Motonari walked into The Great Tiger Café, feeling more at peace with himself than he had in a couple of weeks.

"Date! Look! Mouri is right there!"

Motonari cringed as he recognized the voice. He purposely ignored it and walked to Shingen who called a flustered Yukimura over and both looked pleased to see him.

Motonari gave an odd look as Shingen suddenly covered Yukimura's ears.

"This is perfect Date! Mouri and Yukimura are friends! This means that we can boy hunt together!"

Motonari completely understood Shingen now. Yukimura was confused but apparently used to his strange father, and Shingen sent them to go clean tables.

"What are you doing?" Motonari asked as he saw Yukimura grab plates from three different tables to stack.

"I have very little in the way of personal goals, Mouri-san, but I will beat my record in plate balancing!"

Motonari foresaw Yukimura's crash immediately after the boy tried picking up such a huge stack. He had to hold himself back from laughing at the cute but sad face he made. Motonari oddly felt like a mother around him, even as he helped Yukimura up and began to assist him in cleaning off.

"Thanks, Mouri-san!"

Motonari sighed, "Just call me Mouri. It seems I have been delivered into a world lacking in all proper formality."

"Yeah, but you're family! It could just be me, but I think the less formal a family is the closer they are!" Yukimura enlightened, causing Motonari to feel that strange and pleasurable sensation.

A family, huh?

…Oyakata-sama was informal? Wasn't Yukimura the one who used honorifics the most?

He looked from Yukimura to Shingen but realized in an instant that they didn't just hire people, they adopted people into their lives.

They liked Motonari. They liked him enough to care about him.

"Oi! Old boss guy!" Date shouted out, completely ruining Motonari's moment. He caught Shingen narrowing his eyes before ignoring Date.

Date was soon distracted by something and so Yukimura and Motonari went back to cleaning up Yukimura's dropped plates, the younger man looking at Shingen as if expecting great punishment. Shingen was too busy discreetly measuring up Date to notice anything.

"Hey Yukimura, this guy likes your ass!"

"Son of a bitch!"

Motonari and Yukimura were stunned as Date suddenly chased a man with spiked brown hair out of the store with silverware in hand.

"What did Sasuke say?" Yukimura questioned.

Motonari paused, figured Sasuke to be the one currently being chased, and then turned to Yukimura, "He said 'This guy is an ass'."

"Oh, I thought I had heard it wrong. I hope Date-san is okay," Yukimura replied, looking at the now closed glass door.

"From what little I know he is just being himself. Don't worry about it. That fool left his things here after all, so he has to come back," Motonari watched Yukimura dejectedly turn from the glass door and wondered exactly what their relationship was.

Yukimura seemed to catch his look and smiled, "Date-san, Motochika-san, and I have become friends."

"That's…nice?" Motonari replied.

Motonari could already tell that Date, a man who was disturbingly more chaotic than Motochika, was going to make Motonari's life more difficult. Not to mention drag Motochika into it. A half an hour later Date returned, begging Shingen for a job.

Motonari wished Shingen would just kick him out. Date could take Motochika with him when he left.

"I'm not hiring you."

"Yes you are."

"I'm not paying you!"

"Eh, I don't need money."

Such arrogance. Motonari hated people like Date who cared only for themselves and not at all about how they affected the lives of others. Motonari could tell Shingen was a little angry, but also intrigued, wondering if Date would shape up to be a good employee in the end.

He didn't.

The weeks following found Date sitting in an apron with Motochika at their usual table, acting like customers while Yukimura and Motonari were still forced to serve them since Date paid. Shingen said to humor them until they got bored.

Date wasn't actually getting paid, didn't even seem to realize he wasn't actually hired. Motochika seemed to just be around for the hilarity of it all. Motonari was honestly surprised that Shingen didn't beat both of them like he did Yukimura. Then again, only Yukimura could survive being physically hit that hard, which was still something of a mystery to Motonari.

Above all else, The Great Tiger Café was supported by the people Shingen considered family. Kasuga and Oichi, who were like Shingen's adopted daughters, didn't know what to think of the two new intruders, even though Motonari of all people was somehow able to fit in just fine. Sarutobi Sasuke, an un-hired adopted family member of The Great Tiger Café group just sighs at the two men, world weary. Another un-hired family member, maybe even a second father, Uesugi Kenshin, a professor from Motonari's college, seemed dryly amused at the entire situation, particularly at Shingen's responses to Date and Motochika. And Yukimura, Shingen's true adopted son, enjoyed being surrounded by all the people he loved the most. This left Date and Motochika as being the two unruly little brothers, constantly causing havoc that their siblings wanted to toss them out of the house for. In fact, occasionally they did kick them out of the cafe.

But somehow this psuedo family just worked, and it wasn't really complete unless everyone was there.

Motonari cleaned off a table and watched Motochika ask Yukimura, "So really, what's your policy on cat ears?"

Motonari hated how Motochika flirted with Yukimura.

Date hit Motochika in Motonari's stead as Yukimura looked confused as to why Motochika was even asking him that.

The rest of that day went the same and concluded like every other previous day had. Yukimura dropped plates and Shingen beat Yukimura. Uesugi Kenshin visited and left Shingen a present the tiger-like man opened in private. Kasuga tried to kill Shingen and steal the present, causing the older man to just laugh. Sasuke stopped Kasuga from trying again before sharing tea with Motonari during a break. Date took out a laptop and tried writing while Motochika threw cake pieces at him. Motochika hassled Yukimura and Motonari when Date tuned him out. Yukimura watched Date work hard with that kind but bizarrely sad expression, refilling his drink or leaving behind a small treat to help encourage the completely focused man. Oichi, Azai's former protégé, and Motonari brought in new flowers and made beautiful tabletop creations after the café closed and everyone else was busy cleaning up. Date was still typing away, enraptured in his project and not a one of them had the heart to actually move him until they had to, each in personal awe of his unexpected determination. Eventually Motochika somehow set one tabletop bouquet on fire, causing everyone to finally kick them out. Then they had all parted ways while laughing and preparing for the next day.

The world of The Great Tiger Café was one of pure and simple chaos that wasn't simple at all.

Not even Motonari was unaware that he, like everyone else, had been smiling the entire day.

To be continued!

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**A/N** And finally! We have Motonari! Oh god, 6,933 words... that took sooo long to read/edit The longest chapter so far .. so far..


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: The Case of Sarutobi Sasuke Take 2**

**A/N **Oh GOD dear lord I am SO sorry for not uploading for an ENTIRE week. Kinda got caught up with some stuff IRL, so, here's chapters 7, 8, and 9 to.. hopefully make up for it..  
Also, the original Author had a A/N of her own in here from before, so I'll just put it here.

**Original A/N**:

I am posting this chapter early to thank everyone who reviewed, particularly the people that I could not reply to. Each one meant a lot. Most of all though, I would like to thank the wonderful anon who requested this fic and is currently drawing epic art for it ^^.

I would also like to apologize for having messed up Mouri and Kojuurou's names in earlier chapters, though that issue has been fixed.

Enjoy the fic everyone!

* * *

Though many often found it surprising, Sasuke was the type of person who liked school; in particular, he found himself enjoying Kenshin's class. It wasn't because the man favored him. If anything, Sasuke was struggling to pass this literature god's class. Even Kasuga, who probably was the teacher's favorite, had to be having difficulty keeping up with that dragon's schedule. The work was rigorous and time consuming, but at least Sasuke always felt he got something out of it, which didn't hold true for many of the classes he took.

The big surprise of class today though, was seeing Date Masamune in it. The man was notorious for his poor attendance, and if not for his infamous reputation many people would have thought he was a lost student the second he walked into class. Kenshin seemed to frown a little when the arrogant bastard had randomly walked in, pausing from writing on the board to see what he wanted. Date looked back at his teacher, but then sat in a seat behind Sasuke of all people, taking out a notebook as if prepared to actually pay attention. Sasuke watched as Kenshin seemed torn between throwing out the two-week missing student or letting him stay to see what would happen. In the end Kenshin turned back to the board, and Sasuke had to force down his rising paranoia in trying to figure out the reason the demon was behind him.

Sasuke was distracted and his mind swirled with questions during the lecture, wondering why Date was there at all and what had made him decide to come. And why sit behind Sasuke for that matter, when there were certainly enough empty chairs from students who had dropped from the pressure of the class. What bothered Sasuke most of all though was his own curiosity, mainly because he never wanted to have any concerns regarding this man. He once thought he had Date Masamune's character pegged, and now that bastard was ruining everything.

Like everything else that has ever been infected by Date's presence, class was strange that day. Sasuke wondered if he was in a parallel dimension. Date Masamune was not only in class, he was actually participating, much to the amazement of everyone. Somehow, he had managed to catch up with the reading to be prepared for that day's class. It wasn't right. Date Masamune was being a responsible student.

Kenshin called a fifteen minute break and Sasuke could still hear Date scrawling something down on paper. Sasuke took his own pen and wrote a message to Kasuga, asking her thoughts on Date, since she particularly seemed to hate the fact that Date of all people had been upstaging her in class. Sasuke folded the paper into a shuriken before chucking it at her. It hit the back of her head, causing her to glare and ignore his message. Sasuke knew she would pick it up the second he stopped watching her.

So Sasuke turned around and decided to do the unthinkable and converse with Date, "I can't believe you are actually in class. Hell, I'm amazed you weren't kicked out. What's a failing art major doing in a class and trying not to fail?"

"I changed majors," Date replied, focused on scribbling down some story.

"So you aren't a failing art major anymore?"

"No", Date said with great pride, "Now I'm an exceptional Lit Major."

Sasuke gave him a disbelieving look, "…do you realize how many classes you have missed to even be considered passing?"

"…"

Sasuke lightly shook his head, "Anyway, so you have a new career in mind?"

"Author," Date replied, letting Sasuke look at him with scrutiny after the statement.

"I'm really torn on whether or not that suits you."

"I've had worse potential careers. I once wanted to be a race car driver after I watched this one movie. I lost my license pretty quickly after that. Kojuurou still won't let me have one after that disaster."

"Somehow I can picture that."

"Then before that I wanted to raise penguins."

Well, Sasuke figured, he never once claimed to actually understand the theme park that was Date Masamune's mind, "And that is somehow less likely than you being an author."

"After those I thought about being a brain surgeon."

"You're just screwing with me, aren't you?"

Date just smirked a little and changed the subject, "Hey, does the leggy blond realize that she is in love with the teacher who is in love with her boss?"

Sasuke grinned a bit in spite of himself, "Just realize that now? Rumors must be right. You really must have gotten into college because of your father's money."

"You really must be a ninja to know so many rumors. Though while that rumor is more than possibly true, you still haven't answered my question," Date replied.

Sasuke mused with humor, "At least you are an honest idiot."

Date smirked toothily, "Kojuurou says honesty is my greatest redeeming trait."

Were they…teasing each other? Having a friendly conversation? Friendly as in "friend"? Sasuke felt like he had a bad taste in his mouth. Especially because of how easy it had been to get into that mode of "friendliness". On top of everything else, this just wasn't right.

Sasuke turned back in his seat as he said, "You know what? I believe that. Though I'm not sure our teacher appreciates your redeeming quality like everyone else does."

Truer words were never spoken as Kenshin looked at them from the front of the room, apparently having been waiting for them to stop conversing. Kenshin was the scary type who didn't immediately say anything when you were in trouble, but once you realized you were, there was nothing you wanted to do but run. "Sarutobi, Date. Break's over. Get to work on the prompt I wrote on the board and stop sharing my personal life with the class."

"Yes, sensei!" both men replied as the class around them stifled laughter. Sasuke went back to throwing more paper ninja stars at a bright red Kasuga when Kenshin wasn't looking and Date continued writing.

A little later Kenshin began walking down the rows of desks, making sure that everyone was working and not having any problems…though it was more like he just didn't trust any of them to do it right. It made most students paranoid. It had always amused Sasuke that the man was so active and hardcore about his subject. Apparently Date, still focused on his alternative project, was one such person who couldn't be trusted, "Date Masamune, would you please stop writing extremely explicit material about certain individuals that need not be named when you are in my class. You are giving me extremely conflicting feelings about how to handle your grade, particularly in lieu of your recent absences."

Date in turn made a grave face and said with all seriousness, "Forgive me Uesugi-sensei, but I write whatever I am called to. I have found that I have little control over it. Besides, the names are just coincidence I think."

Kenshin gave him a flat look in return, "I'm sure. Please feel called upon to write on the prompt."

Date nodded somberly, "I'll try, but I guarantee nothing."

Sasuke felt a little comfort. Date Masamune was still a bastard after all.

After class Sasuke stayed in his seat, waiting for Kenshin to finish talking to Kasuga about the class's newest paper. Date got up to leave and then paused, realizing Sasuke wasn't leaving.

"Hey, are you that boring that you have nothing to do outside of class?"

Sasuke just shrugged, hoping that Date would take the hint to mind his own business. Sadly it was Date Masamune, and without his friend or a certain waiter around, Sasuke was the only entertainment he had. Date waited for an answer and Sasuke decided dealing with him just wasn't worth it.

"Kenshin drives me to the café after class since he visits Shingen during his break. I just always have to wait about twenty minutes for Kasuga to finish being herself."

Date sat down again in his seat and took out his phone to text, "So, this happens each week?"

Sasuke eyed him with an apathetic curiosity, "Yes."

They were silent for a few minutes as Sasuke watched Kenshin and Kasuga while Date laid his head on the table and began texting sideways. Sasuke got up when Kasuga was leaving the classroom, watching with humor as she deliberately threw away all the notes he had shot at her throughout class before exiting with a glare at both him and Date.

"Hey, Uesugi-sensei, can Motochika and I have a ride too?" Date asked, standing from his seat. Sasuke sighed, he should have known.

Kenshin opened his mouth to say something about Date's presumptuousness when the door to the classroom shot open, hailing the jubilant Chosokabe Motochika who walked in with his usual stride.

"Hey, Sensei! Date just texted! He said you and Sasuke were offering rides to the café! I'm here to take you up on it!"

Sasuke groaned to himself at being involved. At the same time, Kenshin looked between Sasuke, Date and Motochika before finally just resentfully sighing.

The ride to the café was awkward to say the least, and it was made worse when they were stuck in traffic. Apparently Kenshin had promised to pick Shingen up a book he had ordered during his break, but the detour was now costing them. The ride had started out relatively silent, but then Motochika and Date had started hitting each other in the back seat after Date had tried using his time to write and Motochika refused to stop bothering him.

Kenshin looked really put out by everything and emitted the greatest suffering sigh Sasuke had ever heard, "I will probably only have time to drop you off and say hello."

Date leaned forward while pressing Motochika's head into the backseat window, "I could have gotten there quicker if I walked. Can't this go any faster? I want to show Sanada Yukimura how much I wrote today."

Kenshin looked like he wanted to kick him out and make him walk, "I'm just sure that the boy I helped raise will appreciate what you didn't do in class as much as he will love what you wrote about him."

Sasuke just couldn't help himself, "Maybe you two should make posters to motivate people to go faster. I've seen your talent for that from the 'Have You Seen Date-Chan' set."

Motochika pushed himself off the window to let out a squeaky, "You think?"

"Feh, I can't draw," was all Date retorted, kicking Motochika who was trying to pull his hair.

"Finally admitted it, then?" Sasuke asked.

"Fuck you, ninja."

"Language," Kenshin intervened.

Date huffed, "You only say that because you are a teacher."

Kenshin eyed his student from the rear-view mirror, "I only say it because I have seen how you can get at the café and I don't need that in traffic. And please set Chosokabe-san free. He is turning purple."

"Oops."

Motochika took a deep breath as soon as Date let him go, trying to articulate something that sounded like "you bastard".

"Speaking of your grade, Date-san, the only reason I have decided not to completely drop you is because you did put in some effort today. I really want you to understand though, Date-san, usually I would have dropped you in a second, but Yukimura-kun said to give you a second chance, and he has never once let me down when I follow his intuition. So, even though I want to fail you, badly at this moment I might add, I owe him enough to give you a chance. This is your opportunity to redeem yourself, it will not be easy, but I may actually pass you if you work harder than any student I have ever had."

Sasuke felt a twinge of pity as he thought of how much work that would be.

"Sanada Yukimura vouched for me?" Date asked with a happy tone as he sat forward again, "I won't let you down! Do you care if I come to class every day?"

Kenshin looked completely unimpressed, "Date-san the joy of teaching at a college is that I don't have to care if you come to class. I just get the absolute pleasure of failing you."

"…no wonder that monster of a father likes you."

Kenshin glared, "Shingen isn't a monster. He is a very good and wonderful man."

Sasuke was amused when Date gave an irritated scowl as Kenshin's expression became more woebegone than defensive, "Only a monster would hit his son and let him hit him back and destroy walls and shit. How the hell do you pay for repairs? And if I have to listen to that CD one more time I'm going to somehow manage to actually kill Motochika in misplaced blind rage."

Sasuke had to hide a smile at that one. Extremely not amused, Motochika just gave Date a sad look.

On the other hand, Kenshin looked a little thoughtful, "I actually thought he was a child abuser at first. That's how we met. But I realized the truth of what a good man he was soon enough."

Even Sasuke had to give Kenshin an odd expression at that statement. Date just flat out looked like he thought his teacher was crazy.

Motochika on the other hand just nodded, "Yeah, sometimes parents have to be cruel to teach you things. I mean, I had to wear girls clothing until I hit puberty."

"…"

"…"

"…"

There was a five minute silence until finally the other three couldn't take it. All at once they asked a different question.

"Are you serious?"

"Is that what's mentally wrong with you?"

"Is that why you wear so much pink and purple?"

Motochika, probably having heard each statement numerous times in his past, deciphered the jumble to snap back with, "You guys really fail! And don't tell Mouri. He would just laugh at me."

Date gave a small snort, "Like Mouri laughs…yeah, you know, he would. You should tell him. He may actually think you were funny for once."

"I want him laughing with me, not at me."

Sasuke, entertained, had to add, "He doesn't already laugh at you?"

Date answered before Motochika could, "No, he doesn't laugh yet, remember? Motochika has to embarrass himself first."

"Wow, you guys are seriously the worst," Motochika said, regretting ever adding to the conversation.

Kenshin decided to take pity when Date looked as if he would keep adding to the jokes, "It's not like you aren't in a similar position, Date-san. I heard an interesting story about you chasing poor Sasuke-kun with Shingen's silverware, and then demanding a job of all things. I'm not sure if Yukimura-kun would be quite so kind to you if Mouri-san hadn't covered for you."

"I never asked for Mouri to do anything for me."

Date may have the vexing personality that can shrug off such comments, but Sasuke felt a little uncomfortable at the mention of that day.

Reflecting on two weeks ago, Sasuke knew he had been extremely childish in taunting Date until he snapped. Sasuke wasn't a childish person, easily humored yes, but not immature. He had always prided himself on quick thinking and levelheadedness, but Date seemed to bring out the worst in him the longer he infested Sasuke's life. Sasuke had gotten tired of watching the man and his cohort objectifying Yukimura like it was some hobby, and then turn around with all arrogance to insult Sasuke.

In that situation, calling out Date had not been kind to Yukimura either, though he had to thank Mouri's quick thinking in covering it up. Oddly, Sasuke and Mouri had become something like friends after that, even though Mouri hardly approved of what he had done. Luckily for Sasuke, there wasn't anyone who was more annoying to Mouri than Date or Motochika, so if nothing else he and Mouri had become allies against the rampant absurdity that surrounded them daily.

To add to the shame he felt at losing his cool, Shingen had told Sasuke off the next day when he had finally showed his face. There was very little Sasuke disliked more than Shingen being upset with him, the man being like a second father to Sasuke. But what made it worse for Sasuke in the end was Yukimura telling him to "be a little nicer to Date-san, he takes the strangest things seriously". It really just made everything more frustrating.

Yet in spite of tempestuous interactions and clashing personalities, a happy rhythm had formed at The Great Tiger Café which was only complete when everyone was in attendance. To Sasuke's chagrin, this rhythm somehow included Date and Motochika.

"Don't you two have lives?" Mouri exclaimed as they all entered the café to sit down at their usual tables, with the exception of Kenshin who quickly ran off to find Shingen before he had to leave.

"No, Mouri! I don't! I live for you, so without you, how can there be life?" Motochika asked with the best fake pouty expression he could make without laughing at himself.

Having already spotted Yukimura at the counter, Date nodded absentmindedly and tapped his pen against his notebook, "Yeah, whatever he said. But not including whatever he said about you. I don't like you."

Mouri scowled at them both before nodding to Sasuke who was intelligent enough to sit two tables away from the troublemakers, "I'm on break now, but did you want me to grab you anything while I am up, Sasuke-san?"

"Don't mind the honorifics. In this place only Yukimura keeps up with them anyway. And I'm fine Mouri, thanks," While Sasuke didn't mind being called by his first name, Mouri was much more awkward about it, leaving everyone to settle on "Mouri" for his sake. Ironically, Yukimura, who used honorifics the most, had broken most of his co-working friends out of them. Sasuke figured it was because every worker secretly and deeply appreciated the intimate closeness Yukimura and Shingen strictly enforced, allowing for each strange misfit to have a bond that was something more than even a typical family. It was crazy and fun though rarely peaceful, but it was theirs and not one person would change it for anything.

The door jingled not long after they had settled themselves, and Sasuke quirked an amused brow as one of Yukimura's friends, with both hands full of bursting bags, entered the café. The long-haired brunet was bouncy as usual to greet him, while his compatriot was stoic and silent as always. Sasuke saluted the tall newcomer with his tea cup and a grin, and routinely the young man evenly nodded in return.

Sasuke's eyes jumped from the two who were now talking to Shingen to watching Date and Motochika slide into seats at the table closest to Sasuke's.

"Why does that otaku keep coming back?" Date asked as his eye focused on the newcomer.

Mouri, sans apron, came back to Sasuke's table a couple seconds later for their usual break time tea, only to frown at seeing the other two.

"What are you two doing? Don't we have a rule that keeps you both at least two table's away?" Mouri demanded, as he sat on the other side of Sasuke so that he was as furthest from the other two as he could possibly get. Motochika waved at him. With more decorum than Sasuke had ever expected anyone doing such an act to possess, Mouri responded by rolling his eyes. Sasuke decided immediately that the café was a very good influence on Mouri.

"Yukimura brought a friend. We are curious about the intruder," Motochika responded aptly, trying to get Mouri to look at him again.

It worked as Mouri looked from Motochika to Yukimura and his much larger friend before giving a light shrug, "Oh, Honda-san?"

"Oh, is that his name?" Date replied with a similar tone, but his keen gaze was sharp and rooted on the two boys who were setting the bags down on a table at the other side of the room. They heard Yukimura tell Honda to get started without him since his break wasn't for another hour. Date frowned deeply, an almost menacing light in his eyes as he viewed Honda.

Sasuke and Mouri sipped their drinks and enjoyed the momentarily silence that was doomed to end. Date and Motochika looked at each other, looked at Yukimura and Honda, and then turned back to Sasuke and Mouri.

"So…what does Honda-san do?" Motochika asked delicately, trying to act as if he wasn't prying for information.

Sasuke sighed, it never took long to end silence with those two around.

Mouri looked at them before snapping, "Why do you always ask us for answers? Ask Yukimura. Or better yet, go join them." Mouri seemed to rethink his words a moment later, realizing that he was putting Motochika, Date and Yukimura together, which he hated more than anything, but just sipped his tea to pretend no mistake had been made.

Sasuke had a fleeting moment of panic when the two actually got out of their seats to do just that. "Sit back down, don't bother them. Honda Tadakatsu has been Yukimura's friend for a little less than a year. This is their biweekly routine. That's all it is. Just leave them alone."

Date and Motochika looked at one another silently and unconvinced, still standing from their chairs. Date frowned with crossed arms, "That sounds suspicious."

…how was it suspicious…?

Sasuke knew Yukimura would never realize what a good friend he was, "Look, Honda-san is…a little shy. You two are overwhelming for even normal society."

The two looked proud, as if Sasuke had praised them.

Motochika then frowned and tried to focus on what the boxes in the bags were, "…are they building Gundams?"

Mouri turned to Sasuke and seemed to hesitate before boldly following through with whatever thought was running through his prideful little head, "So, what is their story?"

Surrounded, Sasuke thought, as he lost to the inevitable.

"Alright, I'll explain, just sit down you two," Sasuke ordered, and Date and Motochika grabbed their chairs and squeezed to fit in at his and Mouri's two person table. Mouri scooted as far as he could from Motochika, but still focused on Sasuke who quickly began to speak. "Yukimura used to do the high jump at his high school, but quit. Honda had been his rival, and Honda was upset that the undefeated Yukimura now left him unchallenged. Yukimura felt bad, and instead tried to be his friend like he does for every lost and lonely soul he finds. Now Honda comes in every couple of weeks with a new Gundam model and they generally spend a couple of hours being otaku before Yukimura works. That's it. Any questions?"

Motochika raised his hand as Sasuke took a deep breath to counter his rapid explanation, "Yeah, does he talk? Because Yukimura is really yapping away and that kid has said nothing."

Date added, chewing on his pen in thought, "Sanada Yukimura used to do high jump?"

Sasuke nodded to both, secretly thinking that he wouldn't be surprised if Date was somehow related to a piranha, it would certainly explain his personality problems, "Yukimura was the champion for two years straight."

Mouri tilted his head and Sasuke swore he got it from Yukimura, "Why did he stop?"

"He went through…a phase not too long ago. He just, well, got out of everything. I don't know why."

"So, does he talk?" Motochika asked again, indiscreetly pointing at Honda.

"He does. I think," Sasuke answered, secretly a little unnerved about that.

Date's attention was already focused on a pleased Yukimura who was giving Honda his order and watching the customer piece together the model. The tall guy, who seemed really intimidating before, now seemed strangely kind. It was as if being around Yukimura, an honestly interested companion, made him feel more comfortable about doing weird things like building Gundam models in a café.

"Out of curiosity, do you even know my name yet?" Sasuke decided to vocally interrupted Date's line of sight.

"You're the ninja. Sanada Yukimura's ninja."

Sasuke just sighed, "…you really don't think anything of me at all, do you?"

Date didn't even turn to look his way so Sasuke just let it go. The man was either stupid or just spiteful, though Sasuke personally felt it may be both.

Motochika was still listening in on Yukimura's one-sided conversation, "I have no idea what he is talking about. Date, we must go buy and watch Gundam. We can marathon it this weekend!"

Sasuke smiled in spite of himself. He wasn't necessarily fond of Date Masamune or Chosokabe Motochika, but they were admittedly amusing to be around sometimes. Sasuke was constantly reminded of two mice trying to get to the cheese in the center of a maze and miserably failing. It may be a sadistic amusement, but nonetheless true.

"Which one?" Mouri suddenly asked.

"Huh?" Motochika replied.

"Which Gundam?"

"…all of them?" Motochika winced at Mouri's look.

Sasuke had to turn away to hide his laugh. Though he had to wonder how Mouri, who seemed so cloistered in his small world, even knew about Gundam. If anything, Sasuke figured Date and Motochika would have been the ones to know about it. Sasuke caught Mouri looking discreetly at Yukimura who was back at the counter, and it was then he realized exactly why Mouri knew what Gundam was. Yukimura had forced himself into Mouri's small world, and now Mouri was growing socially and culturally to keep up with his new friend.

Mouri frowned, "I should get back to work. Yukimura's section is getting busier and he deserves a break."

"Bye, Mouri!" Motochika waved sadly with a napkin, sending his would be lover off to the war called work. Mouri just gave him an incredulous look and walked behind the counter where he left his apron. "I love Mouri working here. That little waiter outfit is so sexy."

Date smirked, "I agree."

"For the puppy-waiter cutie, right?"

"Of course. You're the only ass who is masochistic enough to chase after Mouri Motonari."

"Ah, the blinding course of true love. Speaking of Yukimura, Mouri was right. His section really is getting full," Motochika leaned back in his chair to get a better look around Date to see the rest of the room, "I can't believe it! Date, your waiter is like a man-magnet! It's incredible! Not even Kasuga get this many people, and as you put it she can be pretty clothing optional some days."

Date scowled, "I'm aware! And take your eyes off his ass. And don't I keep telling you not to come back here?"

Motochika gave a labored sigh as he watched Yukimura practically run around, "I can't help it, the magnetism is strong in that one. Of course I have to come back. You and Yukimura are here! Besides, I want to see Mouri in that fun little outfit. He is just so cute I want to pull his hair."

Motochika's head was knocked forward with a loud ping as Mouri walked by and 'accidently' whapped him with a tray. Mouri let out an unsympathetic "I apologize", and put the tray down on a recently vacated table to clean up and make room for more customers.

Motochika just smiled at the attention, "You don't need to apologize, Mouri! It's like a kiss of love coming from you! We should go-"

Mouri swiftly came over and whacked him with the tray again; though this time the waiter didn't apologize and just went back to cleaning.

"I love you too!" Motochika wailed after him.

Date's eye twitched at the proceedings, "You're really the type of guy who would help Mouri nail your voodoo doll to a tree, aren't you?"

"I would buy the nails."

Sasuke wished Mouri would come back. He was left alone with these two fools, who once again both completely forgot he was there, and who would later blame it on him being a ninja. The stability of group dynamics was failing because only one of the two sane ones was left.

Sasuke jumped as Shingen called him from the counter, a weighted expression on his face as he held a phone to his ear. Sasuke swiftly got out of his seat and moved to find out what the man wanted.

"That guy really is a ninja. Did you see him move?"

"I totally forgot he was there, Date-chan."

"Don't call me that."

Yukimura reached the counter when Sasuke did, the boy flushed from working hard.

"Oyakata-sama, when is Oichi-san going to be here? Mouri-san is going to help me work her section, but it's still way too many people!"

"Don't lose your head, Yukimura!"

"Of course not, Oyakata-sama!" Yukimura stiffened in resolution and looked as if he would run seven miles and back in under a minute just for Shingen.

"Oichi isn't able to come today. Her brother is causing her trouble again. I'm going to ask Kasuga to leave early and make sure everything is alright at their apartment. Sasuke, I know it's a lot to ask, but would you mind helping out here?"

"Not at all," Sasuke replied, perfectly fine with helping out his second family.

"We can ask Date-san too!" Yukimura suggested.

"What?" Shingen and Sasuke replied with something akin to dread.

"Date-san sort of works here. He can help, right?"

Shingen and Sasuke gave each other conflicted looks. Yukimura decided to take things into his own hands.

"Date-san, would you mind helping me?"

Sasuke and Shingen watched Date go paralyzed for a second, obviously allowing his mind to go disturbing places in how he could help Yukimura. To both the surprise of Shingen and Sasuke, not only Date but Motochika stood up, both following Yukimura to the counter for assignment.

Yukimura handed them both aprons, "Date-san you can help me with the customers. Motochika-san—"

"Motochika."

"Motochika-san can wash dishes in the back since he isn't even somewhat hired and I don't want to get Oyakata-sama in too much trouble."

Yukimura began showing Date how they take orders and had him shadow him for a couple of customers so he could get the hang of it. Motochika blinked and looked like he wanted to say something humorous, but immediately shut up when Mouri walked over and helped him put on his apron so he would get to work. Mouri obviously knew Motochika well enough to realize that he wouldn't stop once the jokes started.

"Date-chan he touched me!" Motochika called out as Mouri dragged him by the apron to the back.

"Yay," Date replied unenthusiastically as he began to get overwhelmed trying to copy what Yukimura did with the customers.

Sasuke and Shingen spent the next three hours getting orders ready, ringing up checks and making sure everything ran smoothly. It was amazing to them both how hard Date and Motochika were actually trying.

"Why the hell are we so popular?" Date asked Sasuke as he took a breath and waited for an order.

"We?" Sasuke asked, handing the order to him.

"Hey, I'm working, aren't I? In fact, I think I deserve a raise."

At Sasuke's left, Shingen gave a snort of laughter, "You aren't getting paid, remember?"

Date quirked something like a smile, "But if I was I would definitely deserve a raise."

Boss and somewhat employee parted with matching grins and Sasuke couldn't help but shake his head with amusement at the many surprises Date Masamune had shoved his way this day. Once in class and now watching him actually be responsible, taking orders and actually doing work. He did whatever Yukimura or Mouri asked without complaint, though it may be the overwhelming pace which kept him docile. Nevertheless, Sasuke was impressed. Maybe, just maybe, there was hope for Date Masamune becoming a respectable man yet.

At some point the regularity of the three waiters running from tables to counter for orders altered, and Sasuke noticed that Yukimura was missing. He looked around the café, unable to spot him, before his gaze finally went to the table Honda sat at. Sasuke was surprised to see a short, yellow clad man sitting there and helping Honda with the models. They seemed to be getting along. Honda had never spoken to anyone but Yukimura, and barely ever regarded Sasuke who made the effort to greet him out of politeness. Suddenly, the silent Honda had a friend.

Not too long after Sasuke had noticed the two, Honda and his companion stood to leave, walking out and smiling together.

"Crazy world," Sasuke mumbled to himself. He pat Shingen on the shoulder, letting him know he was taking a quick break and would be back in a minute. The café owner nodded and Sasuke left the café, looking for his wayward friend.

Wandering back towards the alley, Sasuke could finally hear Yukimura's voice. Sasuke gave a quick peek around the corner and saw the waiter kneeling on the ground while on the phone, petting the evil cat that inhabited the back alley. Yukimura was smiling fiercely, with a strange passion that had been missing for a long while, bright eyes excited as he spoke to the person on the phone.

"Isn't it great? I have been trying to get them to meet for a while. I'm so glad Honda-san was so patient. Ieyasu-dono was extremely hard to find though! I'm glad everything is turning out alright so far. Thank you for helping, Keiji-sa…no, I really don't think a date is necessary…No, I haven't spoken to him since then. I have been ignoring his calls…I have to go Keiji-san…I really am still working… I just wanted to call and let you know that everything is turning out fine so far…No, no one here does…Call me later to let me know how your end is going. Bye!"

What was going on?

Sasuke watched Yukimura put the cell phone back in his apron and stand up, saying goodbye to the kitty and dusting off his apron. Confused, wanting to ask so many questions but not sure how, Sasuke quickly went back into the café before Yukimura could see him.

What the hell was going on?

It took another hour for the café to settle into a pleasant monotony that evening. Shingen put up the closed sign with a wide grin, congratulating everyone on surviving. Motochika and Date had offered to sweep the café only to end up making it a sword battle the other four were too tired to care about. Yukimura was carefully piling dishes under Shingen's watchful eye and taking them to the back, doing it alone as punishment for taking so long a break.

Sasuke and Mouri, on the other hand, relaxed for a few minutes with some late night tea, personally enjoying that Yukimura's punishment gave them the opportunity.

"I can't believe Chosokabe Motochika didn't break anything," Mouri commented, something close to light amusement lifting the corner of his lips.

"I'm amazed Date didn't morally insult anyone," Sasuke added, watching as Shingen stole Date and Motochika's brooms and made them take out trash for being too loud.

Things were pleasantly quiet for a few minutes, both wrapped up in their own thoughts, both concentrating on one person for different reasons.

"Only recently got back into things huh?" Mouri finally asked, bringing up the conversation from earlier. Sasuke paused, looking at Mouri and realizing that someone else had noticed what he had.

Mouri caught his shocked look, "You and I aren't like Chosokabe and Date. Well, I would like to believe we were closer to him than those two anyway."

Mouri seemed to scoff that Date, who claimed to care for Yukimura, hadn't noticed what they had, but Sasuke just contemplated the matter before replying, hating that what he says will be true, "Yukimura is always sure to show him his smiling face. Date isn't given the chance to notice."

Mouri frowned, "Does Yukimura like Date so much?"

"Yukimura…does what he feels is best. And we just have to keep up."

"That didn't answer my question."

"I don't have an answer," and that bothered Sasuke, because slowly, Yukimura, the person he cared for most, was beginning to feel a bit like a stranger. Sasuke had so many questions, and Yukimura just gave him that smile and Sasuke couldn't stand to ask him anything. Sasuke didn't mind if Yukimura didn't romantically love him, because he knew that Yukimura would always love him in a different way. No matter what happened they would always be close and deeply a part of each other's lives. But Sasuke hated the sudden secrecy. What was going on? Who was Keiji? What did it have to do with Honda? Sasuke realized that Yukimura had done it again though. He didn't know how, didn't understand how he did it in the slightest, but Yukimura made two more people happy, just like he had for Shingen and Kenshin and so many others. And Yukimura had somehow known how to make them all happy.

"I'm going to help Yukimura with dishes. Mouri, you just relax and make sure those two idiots don't cause havoc when they come back in."

Sasuke knew Mouri wanted to question this, but had realized Sasuke wanted to talk to Yukimura alone and let it go with a nod.

Sasuke went into the back of the café, and as if he sensed him coming, Yukimura turned to give him that devastating smile that suddenly seemed so false compared to the one he had seen in the alley.

Sasuke lightly smiled in return, wondering how to start this conversation. Yukimura tossed him a towel and Sasuke went to stand next to him at the sink. Usually they would have started speaking about something, anything, but both seemed far too preoccupied.

"Hey, Sasuke? What's Date-san like at school?"

Sasuke frowned, of all things to talk about he wanted to discuss Date? Sasuke heard a slight noise from around the corner and had to grin, knowing instinctually who would have a reason to listen in on this conversation. Sasuke figured that if he was doomed to have Date Masamune in his life, he could at least have a little fun torturing him.

"Hmm, well, the general opinion at school is that while attractive he is very strange and temperamental, really difficult to get along with. Has a usual posse he hangs out with. You've met Motochika, I don't need to say anything about that. Date is not necessarily an active troublemaker, but certainly not an achiever. Gets into a lot of fights though, probably likes to set small things on fire."

Yukimura paused in cleaning off a dish to stare at him, mouth slightly open.

"That last bit was just conjecture. Let's see…he has a lot of admirers, but they prefer being the type that admire from far away. Like I said, really not a people person, though I think he thinks he is. People are terrified of him since he is probably a little crazy. Obsessive compulsive too, but you have probably realized that. "

Sasuke could just feel the inner tantrum Date must be pulling around the corner.

"That's interesting."

Interesting? Sasuke was trying to make him look bad. What the hell was with Yukimura lately?

"Why do you like him so much Yukimura?"

"He is…very interesting. I've never…well, met anyone like him before, I suppose. He seems really kind in his own way, and we are becoming good friends, even though he always calls me Sanada Yukimura instead of just Yukimura."

"To be honest I think it's to help him remember your name."

"He does seem to have a bit of a problem with names," Yukimura added, and he and Sasuke smiled at one another. Then it got quiet again.

"So, how's math going?" Sasuke questioned, trying to keep conversation going until he could bring up his real point.

Yukimura gave a pitiful groan, "Horrible. I've just been so busy lately working on other things. I should have spent more time studying."

Sasuke wondered if the "other things" involved the strange conversation with the person he knew only as Keiji. Sasuke turned seriously towards Yukimura.

"Hey, did I hear you say something about math?"

Sasuke inwardly bristled, he had forgotten that Date had been listening for a moment. He frowned in resignation and gave up talking to Yukimura, this was a conversation better left without interlopers.

Yukimura blurted out, "Yes, I am having trouble in my math course. I need it to graduate so I can get into your and Sasuke's school."

Sasuke didn't like the light blush on Yukimura's cheeks, the boy obviously hoping that Date hadn't heard the first part of their conversation. Tough luck with that one.

Date straightened and leaned against the wall provocatively. Sasuke had to give him some credit, that guys recent luck usually would have had him slip or something before he could even lean. Sasuke distantly wondered how he had distracted Motochika from joining them in the back.

Date glared at Sasuke, obviously reading from his face what he was thinking, but gave one of his usual grins to Yukimura, "I'm pretty good at math, if you like I can offer some assistance. We are friends after all."

Sasuke could see where this was headed.

"Please! I would be most grateful, Date-san!"

Damn Yukimura and his inability to recognize the trap of a predator.

"Not a problem," Date replied fluidly, looking so strangely cool that Sasuke wanted to push him over, "We can compare schedules later for some good times. I can tutor you at my place. Only Kojuurou and I live there so it should work. You can even stay for dinner."

"Really?" Yukimura looked so grateful that Sasuke wished he had offered first. Why hadn't he? Because he didn't know that Yukimura was having problems. When had Sasuke been so on the outside?

"I hope your math skills are better than your art skills," Sasuke couldn't help but quip to break the warm moment between the two in front of him. Sasuke hated it, Date leaning down, his face so close to Yukimura's. They didn't even hear him.

"YUKIMURA!"

That did it, Sasuke thought as Yukimura and Date broke apart.

"I'll go see what Oyakata-sama wants! I'll tell him the good news as well, Date-san!"

The two watched the brunet run to his father, neither knowing what to say to each other or even if there was anything to say.

"That was almost smooth for you," Sasuke granted when they had stood around awkwardly for long enough.

"Shut up, ninja."

"OYAKATA-SAMA!"

"YUKIMURA!"

Sasuke and Date both ignored the shaking walls as Shingen and Yukimura congratulated each other in their own special way.

"Anyway, it amazes me that you can turn being a ninja into an insult. You know though, our school is pretty tough. And while I can admit that you are intelligent you certainly aren't the type to make much effort to be in a place you hold obvious apathy for. Who are you to help him get into a place he wants to so badly and you avoid?" Sasuke didn't even know what he was trying to get at.

"Jealous you didn't think of it? That's alright. I'm jealous of you for different reasons. And though you find my honesty annoying I will admit that you are right. I can stay in school because my dad pays it off. And I do hate it there. But that doesn't mean I am not the most qualified to help him. So stay out of my way."

"It really is annoying how honest you are," Sasuke retorted blandly as Yukimura ran back in and looked between the surly men.

"What happened?"

"Oh, nothing, Date is just being a pampered princess."

Date looked a little hurt when Yukimura stared at him contemplatively.

Sasuke just laughed awkwardly, possibly even at himself for being such a fool, "It's a good thing you are so honest, Date-san, because he believes anything."

Yukimura seemed to puff up a little, "Don't tease, Sasuke. Date-san, Oyakata-sama was really impressed with you and Motochika-san tonight. If you two wanted, he may consider actually hiring you!"

"What are you talking about, I already work here."

"…"

Sasuke couldn't believe the egotism, "Do you really think you work here Date?"

"Of course I do!"

Yukimura tilted his head thoughtfully, "Well, Oyakata-sama says he is amused by Date-san's tenacity and spirit."

"Must be redeeming, like his honesty," Sasuke concluded.

"I think Date-san has many good traits."

"That's because you don't know any better."

"Hey! Cool it, ninja!" Date exclaimed.

The three somehow managed to work together to finish the mass of dishes in spite of the awkwardness. A quiet pace set between cleaning off dishes, putting them into the dishwasher, and then drying them off. Sasuke hated feeling like a third wheel, knowing that if he wasn't there the two would probably be having a grand time.

He didn't say anything when Date ridiculously asked to walk Yukimura home, just sat next to Mouri who was poking a piece of chocolate cake with a fork and just as ill at ease. Motochika was asleep in the chair across from him. Sasuke didn't question the pieces of cake that dotted Motochika's hair and clothing.

Mouri looked at him questioningly, asking without words if Sasuke had been able to talk to Yukimura. Sasuke shook his head, having already decided to let his questions about the phone call earlier go for now. He believed in their friendship, that Yukimura would tell him when he was ready. He trusted Yukimura, but he also worried about him. For now though, he would wait. He just couldn't kill the anxiety he felt that Yukimura may talk to Date Masamune about it first. He didn't want to lose every privilege to that bastard.

Even though all he wanted more than anything was Yukimura's happiness, why did he feel like the bad guy?

Mouri, Sasuke and even the now awake Motochika jumped as a hand pounded on the door. The three looked at one another, looked back to the closed door of Shingen's office where he retired so he could get work done, and then back to the door. Mouri shrugged as the knocking continued and stood to answer it.

"Be careful Mouri, it might be a rapist," Motochika warned.

Mouri was too tired to even bother responding to his idiocy.

A tall man, well muscled with slicked back brown hair and a scar on his cheek walked in with heavy steps, his form positively leaking danger. Sasuke wondered momentarily if he was yakuza and searched his seemingly docile attire for some sort of weapon, not that this guy seemed to need one.

Sasuke then noticed that the man was clenching papers, many of which had Yukimura's name written across the top. And was that a picture of Yukimura? Was this man involved somehow with that phone call? Was Yukimura somehow involved with yakuza?

"Oh, hey! It's the Battle Butler! How are you doing?" Motochika loudly announced, finding the energy to practically leap from his chair and greet the man.

"Chosokabe-kun," the stranger stated, "Have you seen Masamune-sama?"

Motochika looked around the room, "He may be in the back."

Mouri reached up to slap the back of Motochika's head before giving a light bow to the guest, "You will have to excuse us, but the café is closed and there is no way we could give you any personal information about an employee or a customer."

"Eh, don't worry, Mouri! This guy is Date's Battle Butler, Katakura Kojuurou. He's cool. Why are you here though, Battle Butler?"

Kojuurou looked uncomfortable, not certain what to say, but Motochika was always a helpful friend and took the papers that were in Kojuurou's hand before the man realized what had happened.

"Are these love letters to Yukimura? And even pictures…oh Date-chan, you creepy bastard."

Sasuke almost breathed a sigh of relief. It was just Date being an idiot, which, granted, could be dangerous, but at least it wasn't Yakuza.

"Oh I see," Motochika nodded to Kojuurou, "You've been worried about Date-chan's late night hours. Don't worry, he isn't doing anything illegal. He was working here tonight. Are you feeling lonely at home, Battle Butler Kojuurou?"

So this Kojuurou was just worried for the same reason Sasuke was.

"He just left to walk a coworker home not too long ago," Sasuke offered, recognizing the worry on the strangers face and hoping he could help a little.

Kojuurou glanced at Motochika, an expression Sasuke couldn't decipher on his face, "Masamune-sama is actually working? I had been so worried when I accidently found the letters when I was cleaning his room. I wanted to meet this young man and—"

Kojuurou didn't have to finish his statement, they all pretty much thought Date was a benign stalker anyway. Sasuke had to give Kojuurou credit for being the kind of man who would warn Yukimura though, even though it would have upset Date. Then again he probably wanted to save Date from screwing up. While he had some admiration for Kojuurou, was grateful he went out of his way to fix what he imagined the situation to be, Sasuke wasn't sure what to think of a guy who still cleaned a nineteen year olds room.

Watching Kojuurou's face as the man surveyed the café, Sasuke realized that the Battle Butler was feeling proud of his ward, probably believing that Date was learning responsibility and becoming a capable, self-sufficient member of society.

"He wasn't actually hired, he just thinks he was."

Trust Mouri to kill the moment.

"Then why is he here if he isn't working?"

"To hang out with his friends and flirt with puppy-cute waiters!" Motochika supplied helpfully.

Suddenly seeming broken, Kojuurou made a soft sound that Sasuke somehow imagined as the epitome of abject despair.

Motochika looked sympathetically at Kojuurou and presented to him Mouri's discarded plate, offering it to the once happily deluded man, "Cake?"

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**A/N** oh yes, because cake always makes things beter :D


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8: The Case of Date Masamune Take 3**

**A/N** And I just realized that She has some A/Ns of her own, so.. here they are:

**Original A/N**:

Yay! A Case update! Hope you guys like it ^_^ We are finally getting into the actual story plot now! And for the few still traumatized by "Samurai", this chap of Case sadly has a little necessary angst. But don't worry XD It doesn't get worse. Next chaps are more like the previous.

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The greatest character flaw Date Masamune saw in himself was that he never planned ahead. So when he asked if he could walk Sanada Yukimura home, he hadn't actually thought about what would happen beyond that moment. He had just been too happy that Yukimura had said yes.

After they had finished cleaning up with the ninja, Masamune had begun helping Yukimura put the dishes back in their proper places for the next day. As tough as the night had been, Masamune had oddly enjoyed it. He got to work with Yukimura, helped him, and was able to earn a lovely look of gratitude from him. And in spite of the ninja's efforts to piss him off, Yukimura had even asked about Masamune in secret. Yukimura had wanted to know more about him. It was shaping up to be a great evening.

It was avidly amusing to Masamune when Yukimura inconspicuously tapped his shoulder with an adorable grin, tilting his head toward the tables. Masamune had to hold back a snort of laughter as he caught Mouri tossing small pieces of cake into a sleeping Motochika's open mouth, getting extremely vexed whenever he missed.

Trying hard not to laugh as a large piece of frosting hit Motochika's forehead and slid down his face, Yukimura almost slipped with dishes in hand. Masamune, thankful to have finished putting his own stack of plates back, was able to grab Yukimura in time, gently slipping them both to the floor behind the counter so that they could try and stop laughing before Mouri realized they were watching. If Mouri caught them he would stop, and Masamune wanted Mouri to ruin Motochika with cake before the bastard woke up.

When Masamune finally recovered, a part of him still wishing for a camera, he couldn't believe that he hadn't noticed the position he was in. Yukimura was fitted against his side, Masamune's arm wrapped around his shoulder. They were together, hiding where no one could see. The scary father-in-law had hidden himself away, the ninja was finishing the last of the dishes, and Mouri was too involved with torturing Motochika to even care what Masamune was doing.

Masamune felt his breath get a little heavier, the arm around that perfect body getting warmer. This counted as a hug, right? While Yukimura was still shaking with humor, Masamune relaxed his hand, gently pressing it down Yukimura's chest, over his heart, as if he would be able to eventually feel flesh through the clothing.

Masamune drew his face in closer to Yukimura's, the arm around Yukimura's neck becoming leverage as his hand drifted lower, trying to feel as much as he could. Then Yukimura gave a small jump, his breath pitched, and a blush bloomed across his cheeks as he turned Masamune's way only to touch noses with him.

"Date-san?"

Masamune froze, torn with equal amounts of affection and desire as he had been so close to touching Yukimura with his very own lips. The younger man jolted away from him and Masamune grabbed his dishes before they broke in Yukimura's scramble to back a few feet away.

They stared at one another, both blushing, both uncertain.

And then Date Masamune remembered that he was a self-proclaimed genius.

"You are such a clutz. Your Oyakata-sama would have beaten you into the walls again if you dropped these!"

Yukimura looked at Masamune with adorable confusion, his mind quickly thinking and trying to make sense of what had happened. Masamune shrugged, trying to downplay the moment and act like nothing had happened.

Yukimura blinked, and then covered his mouth with his hand, "Oh, Date-san! I completely forgot I was holding them when I was laughing! I'm so sorry! Thank you for catching me!"

Masamune shrugged, "Its fine, I was laughing too. Sorry we fell kind of awkwardly."

Yukimura laughed again, inching closer to Masamune, much to the older boy's relief. Masamune grinned as Yukimura finally settled beside him again, not as close, but they were getting closer in different ways with each passing day so Masamune could wait.

"Hey, Yukimura?"

Yukimura looked his way, the amused smile still teasing his lips. "Hm?"

"Can I walk you home?"

Masamune was pleased with himself when Yukimura's blush lightly returned and his eyes widened. That had to be a good sign. Then Yukimura frowned and Masamune's breath caught, thinking of ways to fix whatever was going wrong with his sudden plan.

"I usually just drive home with Oyakata-sama since we live an hour away."

No. No. No.

"I live three hours away."

Yukimura blinked at the random statement. Masamune didn't blame him, even he couldn't believe he had said that.

"Date-san…you walk here three hours each day and night?"

"I like exercise."

Motochika was right, Masamune realized, he really was becoming a creepy stalker. Masamune blamed Yukimura. It was his entire fault for being so ridiculously adorable that a man would walk six hours a day just to see him.

"Um, well, I guess we could walk to my house. Isn't it a little out of your way?" Yukimura asked with concern.

Masamune was so relieved that he announced, "No, I'll just call my Battle Butler to pick me up at your house."

Yukimura stared at him, trying to comprehend a hole in Masamune's plan, as if points A and B didn't quite match up. Finally, Yukimura just nodded with a light shrug and said, "All right. We can walk me home."

Masamune felt like skipping, though he didn't, his mood ridiculously uplifted beyond what he ever felt possible, as if more pieces in the strange puzzle tickling the back of his brain were fitting in their proper places. Masamune was in such a good mood that he made sure to give Mouri another piece of cake to pelt at Motochika while Yukimura went to explain everything to his father.

Masamune grabbed Yukimura's coat and his own, having it ready for the boy to put on when he came out of Takeda's office. Yukimura smiled at Masamune's thoughtfulness.

As Masamune closed the café door behind Yukimura, the boy hopped a step ahead and turned to ask, "Date-san, what exactly does your Battle Butler do?"

Masamune shrugged, "Eh, you know. He kills things that piss me off."

Yukimura's eyes widened, "Really?"

"Probably. I don't really know what Kojuurou does. He really seems to like laundry though."

Yukimura coughed back a snicker, probably at Masamune's expense, but then paused, looking up at the sky.

"What is it?" Masamune asked, a little concerned by the abrupt motion.

"Rain."

"What? Really? How can you tell?" Masamune stood directly behind Yukimura, trying to look up and see whatever it was that the younger man did.

Yukimura tilted his head back further, his right leg coming up to balance, and he looked at Masamune behind him. "You learn to notice those things. Date-san…you really can't tell? I would have thought you could…"

Masamune frowned and looked at the brunet. "Hey, I'm walking you home, you know. Doesn't that deserve something better than Date-san? We're friends, right?"

Yukimura straightened, turning around to watch Masamune with intense but curious eyes, one of the rare, strange expressions the boy had.

"Date-kun?"

"Not even close."

"Date?"

"Try again."

"Masamune-dono?"

"Way too much."

"Masamune-san?"

"I still don't like it."

Yukimura's blush was returning full-force.

"Masamune-kun?"

"You're almost there."

"Masa-Masamune."

"Perfect, Yukimura!"

Masamune considered it a victory as the boy turned away from him, face aflame. Masamune grinned with zeal, holding himself back from hugging the boy tightly from behind.

Yukimura looked up at the sky again, obviously still concerned.

"Does rain bother you?" Masamune asked, moving to stand beside Yukimura again.

"It's not me…" Yukimura admitted, "It's the kitty."

Masamune went flat-faced. "…the kitty?"

"The kitty in the back alley."

"The wicked spawn of hell?"

Yukimura glared, "He isn't spawn! I don't know why you and Sasuke are so mean to him."

Masamune couldn't help the smirk skirting his lips, "Yeah, that 'kitty' only likes you. Everyone else knows it's a demon."

Masamune covered his mouth to hide his growing smile as Yukimura angrily pouted and threw out, "He isn't a demon! He is just a lonely kitty!"

Masamune waved his hands placating, "Alright! Alright! I'm sorry. What do you want to do about the little fiend?"

Yukimura frowned, but looked down the back alley, "I don't know. Last time I brought him home to hide Oyakata-sama found out and lectured me."

Masamune was of the opinion that "lectured" involved a lot of broken walls. He followed Yukimura as the boy walked down the alley, looking around for the cafe's resident monster.

"Kitty!" Yukimura exclaimed brightly, finding the little monster hiding behind the bags of trash Masamune and Motochika had poorly piled earlier.

"Hey, does 'kitty' have a real name?" Masamune asked, kneeling down next to his dream-lover and his demon pet.

"No, I haven't really been able to think of one," Yukimura admitted with a frown, picking up the huge white cat and cradling it close to his chest. Masamune decided getting jealous of an evil servant of hell was extremely undignified.

Watching the cat fit itself to rub its head against Yukimura's chin, Masamune had to acknowledge that the little ogre could look cute if it tried. Masamune raised a hand to pet the cat and the monster hissed, baring its fangs. Masamune bared his back. Yukimura looked at them both like they were idiots.

Masamune shook his head, honestly believing it was just Yukimura's cuteness infecting the demon cat, and that was all. Nothing about that thing was cute. As the cat hissed at him again, Masamune had an amusing idea, "Hey, Yukimura, how about we name him Masayuki?"

Yukimura's attention snapped to Masamune, his eyes wide and horrified, "No, not Masayuki."

Masamune opened his mouth to question that reaction, but closed it just as quickly when Yukimura flipped on a smile and asked, "What about Yukimasa?"

Masamune crossed his arms over his chest, "Datesana."

Yukimura hid his laugh into the creature's fur, "Sanadate."

Letting out a chuckle, Masamune retorted, "Stop trying to top me."

With a light blush highlighting his features once again this strange night, Yukimura just beamed back, "In what way?"

Masamune's jaw dropped, before he began grinning madly, "Did you just make a dirty joke? Sanada Yukimura, I'm proud!"

The two laughed together as the demon meowed at being ignored.

"So, what was wrong with Masayuki anyway?" Masamune asked as they calmed down from their bout.

Yukimura frowned, lazily stroking the heavy mass in his arms. "It's my father's name."

With a quirked brow, Masamune thoughtlessly replied, "I thought his name was Shingen?"

Yukimura looked up from the cat to Masamune, "Oh. My real father was named Masayuki. Oyakata-sama is my adopted father."

Frowning at his tactlessness, Masamune said, "Sorry."

"It's fine."

"…you're dad was really named Masayuki? That's creepy."

Yukimura grinned in spite of himself, "I suppose you could think of it that way."

Masamune glared at the cat again, his mind twisting with an idea that would make Yukimura happy even if it caused him endless grief. "Hey, Yukimura. You know, Kojuurou and I have a pretty big place. It's just me and him, after all. If you wanted, we could take Datesana in."

Yukimura stared at him, "Sanadate. You…would do that?"

Inwardly cringing, Masamune nodded with a broken smile, "Of course. It wouldn't be a big inconvenience. Datesana would stop attacking anyone who came to the alley and pissing everyone off. And you are already going to come over a lot for tutoring, so you can see him. You…can also come over whenever you like, even when I'm not helping you out with math…to visit him, I mean."

Yukimura started to smile, but then it fell, "I couldn't ask you to do that."

"It's fine. I want to," Masamune expertly lied. This was going to be anything but a pleasure. It was a pretty big cat though. It would probably die in a year or two.

Damn it…

"Thank you, Masamune." Yukimura whispered a little awkwardly as he hugged his kitty, but his smile is so radiant that Masamune's eye softens at the image.

"My pleasure." And it is. Finally, Masamune was able to do something in his own power to make Sanada Yukimura happy. It didn't matter that the cat hated him or that it would tear his apartment apart, it didn't even matter that it would probably end up eating Kojuurou. Nothing else mattered except that truly happy smile.

That smile, the unspoken regard Yukimura felt in this moment towards him, made Masamune feel warm and weak, made him want to wrap his arms around Yukimura and embrace him tightly.

They shuffled in a warm silence for a moment, but then Yukimura tilted his head as he was wont to do, and said, "Shall we get going, Masamune?"

There was no sound in the world more beautiful than Yukimura saying his name.

As they made their way to Yukimura's, they started talking more, not impeded by customers or crazy coworkers. It was only Masamune and Yukimura. And, of course, the demon, but Masamune enjoyed pretending that the creature didn't exist.

"Hey, Masamune? Can I ask what happened to your eye?" Yukimura asked as they trailed the streets.

"Childhood disease."

"Are you…alright now?"

Yukimura's concern warmed him, and Masamune hoped this was a good time to ask what he had been wondering. "I'm absolutely perfect right now. Do you mind if I asked what happened to your parents?"

Yukimura's expression went completely blank, "I don't remember anything before Oyakata-sama took me in."

There was something strange about the way he said that, but Masamune let it go, "So…Yukimura, where did you learn to fight like that?"

This caused Yukimura to smile much more brilliantly and look Masamune's way again. "Oyakata-sama taught me a long time ago!"

Masamune looked at the younger man curiously, "Like, when you were a child? What a crazy old guy."

The brunet gave a small snort as the fiend in his arms batted at his ear, "A child? That works."

Another weird answer, but Masamune wanted to keep the good mood going, "Why do you call Takeda 'Oyakata-sama' anyway?"

That adorable, curious head tilt again, "I don't know. Oyakata-sama is Oyakata-sama. How about you? Where did you learn to fight?"

"Battle Butler."

They continued walking peacefully, and Masamune was convinced this truly was the best night of his life. Before tonight they mostly talked during Yukimura's breaks, an hour or two a day, and then Masamune would write and Yukimura would work. This was their first real conversation outside of that setting. There were a couple of awkward moments, but that was normal, Masamune figured, for any new couple.

Yukimura was smiling at him, for him, because of him. For once everything was going well for Masamune. Except for the creature. But Masamune was getting better and better at ignoring that thing.

When it first started to rain, Yukimura zipped Datesana in his jacket, doing his best to keep him safe and warm. Masamune had laughed at how ridiculous the two looked, and then laughed harder when that angry pout made a comeback on Yukimura's face.

Masamune held out his hand to Yukimura, who looked at it curiously before taking it, and the two ran through the rain to hide under the large awning of a business.

"Well, you were right about the rain. They may kick us out of here soon, but we should be able to hold out for a few minutes," Masamune teased, using his hands to squeeze excess water out of his hair. "Maybe I should get a haircut? What do you think?"

But Yukimura was gazing at him with a slightly awed expression, watching the hands move through Masamune's thick hair, before blinking with a light chuckle, "No, I quite like your hair the way it is."

"Well, I guess that answers that," Masamune replied bluntly, and Yukimura bit his lower lip to hide a flushed, pleased smile.

"W-what is this place?" Yukimura asked, quickly changing the subject as his body turned to look at the bright lights behind the glass. Masamune reached back to grab Yukimura's ponytail and squeezed down its length, amusing himself as rain water dropped to the ground.

"M-Masamune!" Yukimura sputtered in surprise, turning towards him, but he was also grinning.

Masamune stepped back with a smirk, getting a kick of humor as the wet cat in Yukimura's jacket was trying to rub his fur dry on the young man's inner shirt. Yukimura shook his head at Masamune before turning back to the glass. Yukimura bent over to get a better look inside, the cat making an entertaining sound at the movement.

Caring little for the business, Masamune was much more content to tilt his head for a better look at Yukimura's ass. He was wet from the storm, the pants form-fitting with the weight of the water and Masamune inwardly praised the kind deity responsible for his sudden increase in luck. After weeks of utter humiliation, finally Masamune was winning.

Yukimura had the most adorable butt ever. Masamune was tempted to swat it, grab it, take what he could in his hand, and then blame it on some random, foreign insect, but he was pretty certain Yukimura wouldn't quite fly with that one.

"Masamune?"

Another event for another day, preferably when they were comfortable enough with one another to find clothing unnecessary for certain fun activities. Not that Yukimura wasn't cute with clothing on; in fact, Masamune could easily picture some extremely fun outfits that he could beg the boy to wear for both their pleasure.

"Masamune?"

A finger snapped in his face.

Masamune gave a long, slow blink, his focus returning from future delights to current reality. Damn it.

"Hi," Masamune said simply.

Yukimura gave him an odd look, "Hi."

"…"

"…"

"Hey, Yukimura, it's an arcade in there!" Masamune quickly pointed out, a shit-eating grin on his face, desperate to get out of his perverted quandary.

"I noticed, Masamune," Yukimura replied with concern, his hand rising as if he wanted to put it on Masamune's forehead to check for a fever. He would be looking in the wrong place. Masamune wouldn't mind him looking in the right place though.

Masamune slapped himself mentally, trying to force himself to pay attention and not deviate towards his happy perversions. He looked inside the glass, seeing people mill about inside, his eyes searching for something to distract them both.

His eyes fell on a game, two players moving on platforms and acting out moves to the screen as if they were in combat. Their faces were covered by some sort of helmet and their hands were thickly gloved. Masamune thought it looked pretty cool.

"Hey, Yukimura. Look at that game!" Masamune moved over so that Yukimura could move into his space and see from his vantage point. "That's the new game everyone has been talking about, right? Motochika and I were thinking about finding a place around here that had it."

Yukimura didn't say anything, but he backed away from the glass.

"It's a samurai game if I recall correctly. Seems pretty fun. Did you want to try playing it? We can all go on your day off. We can even drag Mouri. He would love an excuse to murder Motochika, even if only virtually. We-"

Masamune could vaguely see a white haired boy taking off his helmet, earning cheers from the crowd for his victory. That strange something in the back of his mind lightly tickled. Much like when he was writing, or dreaming, or when he met Yukimura for the first time, except that this was far less

"Masamune. Let's leave."

"But it's still raining, Yukimura."

"That's alright."

"Eh? Yukimura?" Masamune pulled away from the glass, watching as the boy fixed his cat-filled jacket and prepared to walk away. "Yukimura?"

Yukimura turned to smile at him, a forced smile that made Masamune concerned. "It's not that great a game. Anyway, let's keep going. The rain isn't going to stop for a while."

"You've played it?"

"Once or twice. It wasn't that great."

"Yukimura?"

But Yukimura was already entering the rain again, leaving Masamune to wonder at another strange reaction. He rushed forward, grabbing Yukimura's hand and pulling him back under the awning.

If he hadn't just been in rain, Masamune would think there were tears in his eyes. It didn't matter what had caused Yukimura's reaction, Masamune could contemplate everything later, all that mattered was making the boy happy again.

"You know, it may be raining, but the night isn't over yet. We could go grab something to eat." Masamune hoped that his smirk was faultless and blameless.

"But we have a cat," Yukimura pointed out piteously.

Masamune patted Yukimura's wet head before he could stop himself, suddenly understanding Motochika's humor in the act, "Yes. Yes we do. Hm…how do you feel about dango? It's your favorite, right? We can pick up an entire crateful if you want. We can eat it at your house with the demon spawn while we wait for Kojuurou."

Masamune was relieved when the dazzling smile returned to Yukimura's face. He didn't know when it had hit him to such a great degree, but nothing else mattered to Masamune but keeping Yukimura happy. Nothing mattered more than earning that stunning smile. Nothing was more important than the feel of his warm hand in Masamune's, the longest physical contact they had ever had. Masamune wanted to hold it forever, he wanted to hold more. He wanted to hold Yukimura for the rest of his life.

Hand in hand in the darkness, they raced towards dango.

To Masamune's surprise, Shingen and Kenshin had allowed him and the creature of hell into their house, though Masamune secretly figured that he and the cat were on the same level in their eyes. They hadn't stayed to visit or chaperone, merely went to their room after bidding Yukimura and his two strays goodnight.

Yukimura had dried off the devil spawn while Masamune called a frantic Kojuurou, eventually handing the phone to Yukimura so he could give the Battle Butler directions to the house from the café. Masamune had found Kojuurou being at the café amusing, but was also humiliated when Motochika stole Kojuurou's phone to give him shit about his unsent letters. It was a good thing he and Yukimura had left when they had…

They sat together on the couch, Yukimura eating more dango in twenty-five minutes than Masamune had ever even seen in his entire life. It was adorable, it was entertaining, and it was just so very Yukimura. When they got to the last stick, Masamune pulled one piece off with his teeth and handed the rest to Yukimura, the boy grinning at him cutely and accepting his prize.

Kojuurou was angry at him, Masamune could tell. The man was completely silent as he drove them home. If not for being the driver, Masamune was convinced that the man wouldn't even be moving. It was creepy.

"Masamune-sama."

Masamune inwardly felt relief. He hadn't finally broken Kojuurou beyond repair.

"Yeah?"

"What is clawing the backseat of my car?"

"That would be Datesana."

"Datesana."

"Datesana. You are going to be taking care of him for me from now on."

"…"

Kojuurou finally gave up, banging his head against the steering wheel after he parked the car. He turned to look in the back where the giant white cat was raking its claws through leather. As if sensing attention, the malevolent creature turned to look back at Kojuurou and hissed.

Masamune glared back at it, "Yeah, we hate you too."

"I think it really is evil, Masamune-sama. And why Datesana?"

"It's better than Sanadate, right?"

"I'm quite positive both names are horrible for a cat, Masamune-sama."

"Eh, we only need to call it by name when Yukimura's around. We can just…throw it in a room and lock it away. Make a food slot for it. Go in once a year to clean up its messes. We'll be fine if we treat it like a zombie. I promise I won't let it eat you, Kojuurou."

"Why do we have a cat, Masamune-sama?"

"I think I adopted it. We can always rename it Satan as a joke."

"Masamune-sama…you're allergic to cats."

"I'm aware."

It took them thirty minutes to get Datesana out of the car, and overall it was a very wet and bloody disaster.

The next day would be the first time that Masamune didn't go to the café after school. He called Yukimura to apologize, saying that Kojuurou needed help with Datesana who was still adjusting. Yukimura was so grateful that Masamune was forming a "bond" with the cat that he didn't even question Masamune's irregular behavior.

Bond. The only bond they had was mutual hatred. Not only was the cat killing him through allergies, the little fucker shredded his arms the day before. His car jokes aside, he and Kojuurou actually had needed to lock the cat in the guest room, purely out of the fear that it would attack them in their sleep. Masamune had seen that demon's eyes, and it was planning something. Nothing terrified Masamune more than when it would be looking away, the suddenly turn its head around like an owl towards him, opening that fanged mouth and hissing.

Masamune couldn't stop the shudder his memory forced upon him.

All thoughts of Datesana were wiped clear of Masamune's mind when he stepped through the doors of the arcade. In spite of Yukimura's near-warnings about the game, all it had done was make Masamune curious. He needed to know what had upset Yukimura so much. He had been worried about Yukimura all night, hadn't been able to help himself. The only time his mind was given reprieve from his concern was when carnal fear was twisting his heart, the sound of claws scraping through the door of the next bedroom over tearing into the peaceful night. From the look on Kojuurou's face the next morning, that poor man hadn't slept either.

Masamune ignored the other games, walking straight towards the last game created by the famous Toyotomi Hideyoshi before his death.

"Devil Kings, huh?"

There were two players standing on the platform, both wearing helmets and moving frantically. The screen in front of the players showed the crowd what both individuals were seeing in the virtual world. While they were battling one another in the game itself, in the real world it looked innocent, if not hilarious. It was like convoluted DDR with samurai.

"Interesting but not exactly malicious…"

The crowd gathered around the game system cheered as the current round ended. One player nearly collapsed from the platform, breathing heavily.

Masamune's ear pricked when he heard the boy say, "It was way too real. It was terrible! How the hell can that kid stand playing it? I felt like I was actually killing people!"

Masamune arched a brow, thinking that may be a little intense for a video game, but whatever.

The victorious figure remaining on the platform removed his helmet, revealing short platinum hair and a feminine face and figure. He was dressed in white, Chinese style garb, which well-suited his form and delicate appearance.

"Well, who is next then?" the strange boy asked, completely at ease, looking over the crowd with a playfully wicked smile.

Many hands rose, and the strange boy looked through the crowd, his eyes passing, and then swiftly returning, to Masamune himself.

The smile on his face went from playful to almost malevolent, as if he were truly calling Masamune to battle. "Did you want to try playing? I can promise you a game you will never forget."

The crowd was mixed with cheers and jeers as Masamune smirked, throwing his pack on the side of the game system, "You certainly are full of yourself."

"Possibly. But I make up for it, I promise."

Masamune stepped on the platform, looking at the equipment with a little uncertainty. "You certainly seem to be the champion. I saw you play last night with a friend."

The boy's fragile face jerked towards him intently, "You were here last night? With whom?"

Eying him oddly, Masamune examined a glove and said, "My friend Yukimura."

"…Yukimura...?"

"Yeah, Yukimura. Do you come here a lot? How do you even put this stuff on?"

"I come here every day. A friend keeps failing to meet me, even though I leave him messages. That will change though. I'm sure he will get my newest message and come see me very soon. In that regard, I think you may have the potential to become my favorite opponent for today."

Looking back at the weird, conceited boy with a smirk, Masamune replied, "I always aim to please."

"In your own way of course."

"Of course," Masamune agreed. "So how do I put this stuff on? And how do I play?"

The boy took the glove from Masamune, offering sweetly to put it on for him. A little disturbed but going along with it, Masamune held out his arm for the frail boy to equip him.

"It is very simple, Date-dono. You pick your character and we try to kill each other."

"Date-dono, huh? You're a weird kid, bad as Yukimura. So this game is like any other historical fighting game? That's weird. I thought Yukimura would love this sort of thing."

"Perhaps this is much too close to home. It can be for certain people," the boy replied, finished with the gloves and now placing the shiny, black helmet over Masamune's face, strapping the back behind his head.

It was a moment of double vision and then the screen in front of his face shifted to a normal video game. Quickly, his opponent joined him in the game, and rows of possible characters were placed in the center of the screen.

"It's only fair since you are new to give you a light tutorial, Date-dono. First raise your hand in front of you and scroll through the characters, much like a mouse for a computer. I have already picked my hero so that character will not be available."

"Have a favorite already, kid?"

"It is a favorite actually, but a character that I have never used before. It was supposed to be my friend's character. Don't worry Date-dono, I am positive that there is a character who will personally call to you."

Masamune scrolled the list, all the characters shadowed until he clicked on them for a better image. He frowned at three before finally seeing an interesting figure, a man with a large crescent moon adorning his helmet.

"Hey, it's Date Masamune," he couldn't help but announce with amusement.

"Does that please you, Date-dono?"

"Well, he is my namesake. I suppose it's only right that I choose him."

Masamune clicked on the figure, snorting to himself at "AZURE DRAGON" before amusing himself by spinning his finger and seeing the character's entire outfit. The details of his face were obscured by a raised sword cutting in front of his face in a defensive position.

"Oh…you are a sexy, sexy beast my friend. I don't even mind that they raped your name. We can be Date Masamune together today."

The boy next to him gave an amused laugh, "I am glad that you are enjoying yourself. However, the next aspect of this game that you need to know is that it isn't just picking one character and fighting through a battlefield until you find the boss. In this game you must direct your army too. It's the closest simulation that will ever be made of Sengoku Era warfare, a creation of the highest caliber of genius. Are you ready to fight me for your life, Date-dono? I have created the best simulation just for you."

"That wasn't much of a tutorial, kid…" Masamune paused as he suddenly realized something important. "How the hell do you even know my name? Have we met?"

"Oh yes, Date-dono. But it was quite a long time ago."

The screen went completely black and Masamune was forced to pay attention, something fighting inside of him, screaming for him not to lose to this brat.

Masamune had been thrown into hell in an instant. He was surrounded by soldiers behind him, each one looking at him as if he were a god. As if he would save them all. Most were wounded, blood was everywhere. Bodies were everywhere. Pieces of bodies were everywhere.

This was so much worse than the cat. No wonder that last player had been so terrified. How the hell could this be so real?

Masamune took shaky steps, actually feeling the weight of the armor, the fabric of the uniform against his skin, he could smell the blood and he wanted to hurl. He stepped in a puddle and it rippled, bleeding through the material against his foot and caressing the inner flesh.

A dead soldier, one of his soldiers if the armor was correct, looked as if he had been speared to death. Masamune felt at his side, crossing his arms to place hands on his swords, needing something to protect himself. Needed something to defend himself. Needed to believe that he could possibly defend himself.

He should have listened to Yukimura and never done this.

This was too real.

A farm was on fire nearby, and a horse was bolting as fast as it could from the battlefield, trudging over bodies until-

A body pushed his to the ground, was covering Masamune's body with his own, barely even had time to scream, "Date-sama! You must beware their archers!"

And then his savior was dead, pierced, and the horse fell down nearby, covered in arrows.

Masamune took a deep, horrified breath, shoving the body off his, standing to turn around slowly, his eyes searching for the wounded men he was supposed to be protecting. Those men were now dead, punctured to death by the airborne attack.

Masamune swallowed, forcing himself to turn away even as the numbers of his men still fighting dwindled in his peripheral vision.

"I really am an idiot for doing this."

Masamune tried stalking closer to the clashing, screaming sounds of war, intense fear bruising his reactions. There were riders on horseback fighting, and even men running with large bombs and killing themselves all for the sake of taking out an enemy.

Masamune flinched as the number of his soldiers reduced significantly by the second. That little bastard was kicking his ass already.

It wasn't just the little bastard, Masamune thought, as a giant tornado cratered the earth and tore everything to shreds. No, there was another boss, wasn't there?

It's just a game.

It's just a game.

It's just a game.

Masamune ran away from the attack, his body slipping once, but he scrambled up again, his mind pulsing brutally against his response, as if calling him a coward and demanding he turn back and face his opponent.

It didn't matter how far he ran. His opponent found him. An ax cleaved the earth and cut off his escape. Masamune leaped back, instinct winning out over thought, to dodge the attack.

He turned, trying his hardest to pull one sword out, faltering quickly and then finally succeeding as the red-haired giant recovered his weapon. Masamune raised the sword in front of him, uncertain, and even old kendo tricks escaped his mind completely.

He nearly dropped his sword as the figure turned around.

"Old man?"

His future father-in-law was trying to kill him in a video game?

…no, Masamune could actually see Takeda trying to kill him. This part was semi-normal.

It's just a game.

It's just a game.

"Okay, so you're the final boss, huh? Little kid in a big man's body? Why not?"

"He is not this level's boss!"

Masamune jumped to the side, dropped his sword, lost his very soul in an instant.

"YUKIMURA? What? How? I thought you weren't-you didn't-"

The figure stood in red and white, powerful and strong, two spears in hand and an arrogant smirk.

"Oyakata-sama. Leave Date Masamune-dono to me."

"Of course, Yukimura!"

"Thank you, Oyakata-sama, for your benevolence."

No. No. No, it was the face and the figure. But the smile, the pose, it was all wrong. The voice was the same, but the words were tainted with such cruelty.

It was that white-haired kid. He was controlling Yukimura. No, this wasn't really Yukimura. This was a game. This…couldn't possibly be that big of a coincidence.

This was sick. How the hell was this happening?

Not-Yukimura turned to him, eyeing the fallen sword with ill-disguised hilarity.

"Where is your pride, Date Masamune-dono? Has time possibly tamed your dragon's spirit?"

It was said cruelly, snidely, and with great amusement.

"What do you want?"

"Aren't we playing a game? I'm supposed to kill you now. Due to your negligence, you have no more soldiers and your retainers are all dead. Yukimura pretty much killed them all himself!" He was so damned happy when he said that, as if getting Yukimura to hurt him gave him the utmost pleasure. "You…at my mercy. No Katakura-dono to save you this time. I must admit, this is quite ideal. You truly are my favorite opponent of the day."

"What…what are you talking about?"

The game, their game, was suddenly changing, and the look on that beloved face was changing as well, turning into something more natural, more Yukimura-Yukimura.

That sad face Masamune wanted to kiss away was disturbed by a splotch of blood on his cheek, blood on his spears, it was the blood of his men. "Masamune-dono? Don't you remember me? Don't you remember Sanada Yukimura? Don't you love me anymore?"

Masamune's eye widened, "This is sick. You are so sick!"

The sad figure returned to its Not-Yukimura pose. "Fine. Love won't break you this time, then?"

"What?"

"You don't remember still."

"Stop doing this."

"Prepare yourself, Date-dono, I intend to break you completely. This game just isn't fun otherwise!" Not-Yukimura readied his spears, and Masamune forced himself not to think of this bastard as Yukimura while he picked up his sword.

"Why the hell are you doing this?" he asked one last time.

Not-Yukimura shrugged, "I have many reasons. Because it's not fun being unfortunate alone. Because you took something important from me. Because you are Date Masamune."

Yes.

What?

Date Masamune.

Something changed, like a snap in his mind as pieces shoved back into place-a puzzle solved, his body correcting its ill posture, easily releasing the other five swords at his side. That strange voice that had been whispering to him, the pull in his very soul that had once called him to love Yukimura the second they had met, the same voice which was now moving his body to fight.

It was time for a party.

They both paused, waiting, and then they struck together, each attack not natural, almost choreographed, as if it had happened before and Masamune moved intuitively to play his part.

Yes. This was a memory. This was his memory.

This battle, each movement, each cut, each relentless feeling of love and despair and excitement, this had all happened before.

It was beautiful, it was painful, and it was glorious.

Date Masamune felt truly alive, truly whole, the more he cut into the body of the person he loved the most.

He was alive.

He was whole.

He was Date Masamune.

And this was one of the greatest parties in his memory.

And then everything changed, deviated from a memory…

Something had gone very wrong.

Because his sword had gone through Yukimura's chest, tearing straight through his heart.

The blood spilled. The body of his beloved fell against him.

Masamune was shocked away from the joy of self-realization and cascading memories, descended into something closer to reality as he fell to the ground with Yukimura, his mind split as it tried connecting two different realities into one. Two different lifetimes battling for a common wavelength.

"Yukimura?"

The one being he could not live without in either life.

"Yukimura?"

The only person he truly loved throughout time.

"Yukimura?"

He shook the body. Held it close. Loved it as it drained of life. Rocked back and forth.

This was still a memory. Last time he just hadn't been the killer.

"Damn you! I didn't need to see this again. How do you think I can stand to watch him die again? Damn you!"

He didn't even care that this wasn't real. If any hint of life existed in that body he would fight to protect it, cherish it. Even if he was doomed to fail like he had before.

"This was too much. I had to see this once! I did this once! And now this time you made me the killer as well?"

He held Yukimura's face in his hand, rubbing a thumb across his cheek, wiping away the blood splotch, tears clogging his throat.

"Yukimura? This is just a game, right? Please wake up."

…

…

…

…

And then Date Masamune screams, just as painfully as he had four hundred years ago, no less tormented, no less suffering. His body collapses as he is cradling a virtual image of his dead love, and his mind finishes its trail of memories.

A hand slapped him awake.

Masamune opened his eye, focusing it on the blurry figure before him, raising his hand to wipe away the remnants of real tears, the loss of the past still tearing at his soul.

The helmet and gloves were removed.

Yukimura.

"You did that on purpose. You waited until I remembered everything and you died on purpose!" Masamune stood, openly accusing his smiling opponent. Masamune grabbed him by the collar, shoved him against the platform screen, wasn't even aware of the boy's fans clawing at him to release their champion.

Masamune didn't care. He didn't care that his head was splitting, didn't care that his body felt as if it would collapse. This little bastard deserved to die. He deserved to die a thousand times and Masamune could think of just that many creative ways. This little bastard deserved to die.

Masamune, his mind too raw, too unfocused, was not able to defend when the boy chose to counter, a swift cut of his fist into Masamune's jaw sent him flying to the floor like a broken puppet.

The little bastard just smiled even more widely, announcing to the crowd, "It's alright everyone. We all know how intense this game is. It was my fault for choosing that level. If anything we must be impressed that our friend here was capable of beating me his first time!"

Masamune tried standing, even as the bastard leaned down to offer him a hand, a false show of friendship, leaning close to whisper,"Be careful you don't go crazy this time, Date Masamune. Ruin yourself so soon and I will lose all my fun."

Masamune jerked away from him, still holding his throat, "Hanbei…you …little girly-boy…bastard…"

Hanbei looked down at Masamune, the old malevolence lighting his features, a wicked smile coating his lips like a beautiful poison.

"No, Date Masamune-dono. Not a bastard. I'm the King."

And Hanbei leaves with his fans, parting from a seething, glaring Masamune who was still lying on the floor, cradling his throat.

"Shit."

Masamune sat outside of the café for an hour, waiting in the alley for it to close.

He was shivering, arms wrapped around his knees and head buried, but it wasn't from the rain or the cold.

For all his strength and spirit, he needed something desperately right now.

Something that only could be found in this café.

"…Masamune? Is that you?"

A tentative voice, a voice that held concerned affection. The voice of a person he loved and should be loved by.

"Yukimura."

He felt a hand rest on his knee, questioning why he was huddled in the dark recesses of an alley.

"Masamune?"

He lunges, wrapping his arms around Yukimura tightly, chaining him with his flesh because it is all he has.

"Please. Please."

He doesn't even realize he is crying again, his face buried in Yukimura's neck.

"Please. I just need to hold you."

And Yukimura silently nods, doesn't question the strange behavior, merely holds him back just as tightly as if wishing he could do more.

* * *

**A/N **For Ch. 8 and 9, I haven't read through the whole thing to check for any mistakes that I might've made while cut/pasting. Focusing more on posting them right now. Inform me if there is!


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: The Case of Chosokabe Motochika Take 3**

* * *

Bored beyond reason, Motochika flipped open his cell phone to check the time. He was sitting in a café, not his favorite one with cute waiters, but one completely out of the way and at Date's request. Unlike the happy café of cute waiters, this one was much more sterile, and in comparison practically lifeless. The room was dark, and even so early in the morning there were candles on the tables. Maybe it was a horror-themed café. Motochika was a little scared, after all. Even the waitress, a gorgeous, buxom lady with dark hair piled on her head and a butterfly tattoo on her leg, didn't seem very lively. Which Motochika found disheartening. In his opinion waiters should be fun and cute, not scary. Nevertheless, this place was doing well business wise, from what Motochika could see, but it certainly wasn't nearly as fun as his favorite café. He figured he must just be spoiled.

Date had called Motochika at an ungodly hour that morning, long before the rise of the sun, demanding he meet him here. Motochika had found that to be incredibly odd. Because Date knew better than to ever call him before at least ten in the morning on the days he didn't have classes, Motochika figured it must be important. Something was definitely up.

Motochika was suddenly excited. There could be only one reason Date would not want to be at The Great Tiger Café.

They were going to plot.

It was genius. Date was a genius. Together, they could think up plans and win over their would-be lovers. And obviously, if they had to meet in secret so early, that meant that Date had a plan that would work for today. Mouri would be his, today.

Washed away by his own enthusiasm, Motochika once again opened his cell phone for his first text of the day to Mouri.

Date is a genius. He is our hero. Love him (but not as much as me).

Perfect. He would send another one in an hour, just so that Mouri knows what a good boyfriend he will be. Motochika found it cute that Mouri only replied after about thirty-five texts, just to tell him to shut up. Mouri must be embarrassed, and Motochika could just picture his cute face flushing as he secretly pretends not to like the attention.

"Yo, pirate."

Motochika looked up from his phone as Date slid into the seat across from him. Motochika smiled widely at him, tapping his fingers on the table in preparation for important thoughts. Date looked concerned for his sanity.

"What?" Date asked.

"You know what."

"…no…why are you so happy?"

Motochika decided to give him a break. Poor Date must be really proud of his plan. Motochika would be a bad friend if he stole his thunder so quickly. "Don't worry about it. So what did you want to tell me?"

"I'm Date Masamune."

"And I am so sorry about that," Motochika replied with a voice full of sincerity, trying not to laugh.

"You know? No, you're just giving me shit, aren't you?"

"Yup."

Motochika frowned. Something was off with Date's eye. It was…harder. Before, Motochika would have thought of them simply as a pretty blue-silver color, but now they also held a tint of wickedness. Like a dragon had somehow borrowed his flesh. Something was…off about his Date-chan.

"I need you to listen to me Chosokabe Motochika," Date began with a serious look Motochika had never seen before. "I am Date Masamune, samurai, Lord of Oushuu and later Sendai. That Date Masamune."

It's unfortunate, Motochika thought as he looked at his friend, he has finally lost his mind. Poor Date-chan.

"Date, you know that you and I have been friends for practically forever."

"You have no idea."

"Uh, right. Well, just so you know, no matter what, I am here for you." Motochika meant it too. Even if Date had completely lost his mind they could still be friends. He would even make sure to drag Yukimura to the asylum on Date's birthday. That would make him happy.

Date gave a great sigh of relief, his body lightly trembling. He reached into his pocket for a cigarette, and then cursed when he couldn't find his lighter.

Motochika held up the candle on the table. Date looked at it strangely, then shrugged and accepted it.

"I'm about one hundred percent certain you aren't supposed to be smoking in here. And aren't you trying to quit?"

"Not this week. Besides, that creepy bastard with the long hair is smoking too."

Motochika looked at the silver-haired waiter and replied, "So he is."

"He's one of the reasons we came here."

Motochika looked from a very serious Date to the waiter, "Date-chan…you already have a cute waiter. That one is scary. Don't touch it."

Date grinned at that, "His name is Akechi Mitsuhide. That Akechi Mitsuhide."

"…really?" Motochika asked with a skeptical voice.

"No memory at all yet? Mouri didn't do it. I was hoping an enemy would…"

Motochika blinked. "What?"

"That waitress over there," Date looked at the butterfly woman, "That's the bride of Oda Nobunaga."

"Uh…huh…"

"And that kid, that one in the corner eating candy?"

Motochika looked at the young boy with wild dark hair in the back, "I see him."

"That's the boy-toy."

"Excuse me?" Motochika exclaimed.

Date shrugged, "I'm just being honest. Think the brat's name was Ranmaru Mori or Mori Ranmaru. Who cares, he was annoying. Liked to shoot arrows. I chased him down with a sword once and it was fun."

"…that's nice, Date-chan…"

Date gave him that freezing, serious stare again. "Motochika, do you remember anything? I brought you to this place because these people are here, because we fought them once. Can't you feel the pulsing in your soul whispering warnings? You need to remember on your own Motochika. Because I don't want to make you remember like I did. I need an ally in this and I want it to be you. You are my best friend."

"Why don't you ask Yukimura? Or Kojuurou? He would walk through walls for you!" Motochika asked, feeling a little bad for throwing this on the puppy. Not so much for Kojuurou, that man probably saw this coming years ago. Motochika felt worse as Date became awkwardly cheerless.

"I don't want to h…no, I just, I don't want…I don't know. Until I figure this all out I just want to keep him safe. I don't want him to remember how I failed him…if he doesn't already remember. If he was avoiding my efforts because of that…shit. I will give him the choice -"

"Choice?" Motochika helpfully interrupted, getting a little more worried.

It worked, Date focusing once again on Motochika. "If you play this game, Motochika, you will remember your past life as that Chosokabe Motochika. Your life will change forever, you see?"

"No. I don't see. Stop speaking engrish."

"Yukimura played the game."

Motochika frowned, "What? When?"

"I don't know, but he said he had played the game, possibly more than once. But…that explains why he was so awkward about it. It explains why so many people we should remember are in that café. It also explains why he wanted to get away from Hanbei. If that little bastard did to Yukimura what he did to me I will kill him."

What terrified Motochika is that he just knew Date would actually do it. Easily. Motochika and Date may have joked around a lot in the past about killing each other, but it was never serious. This was serious. He had to lighten the mood away from this.

"Hanbei? The smart samurai? Hey, we can't be murdering samurai in this era, remember?

"Motochika. I need you to trust me."

Damn. Back to that again. Motochika wasn't sure if he could trust that feral eye.

But it was still his Date-chan, even if he was crazy. "I want to say yes. Really badly. But the way you are asking me this is kind of freaking me out."

"Even so," Date got a strange grin on his face. "I need you to trust me, because we are going to play a game to prove I'm not crazy, you see?"

Motochika stared at the one-eyed bastard who had done it again on purpose, "Seriously, since when did you start raping the engrish language?"

Date glowered a bit, "Since a couple days ago."

"Fair enough… you sound really ominous when you say 'game', though. I'm going to be really pissed off in about twenty minutes, aren't I?"

Date just scoffed, "It wasn't pleasant for me either. I don't know what else to do though. I tried bringing you here, and you already know Yukimura and Mouri. I don't know how else to get you to remember. So I need you to trust me and take a very big leap for me."

Motochika nodded, "Okay…so…no, I am not even going to try. I'm too confused. I think you are crazy. Let's find Kojuurou."

Motochika stood up, starting to dial Date's apartment number, but Date leapt from his chair to tackle him to the ground.

The phone went flying and Motochika thrust his body out from the floor to reach it. Date grabbed his hair and pulled him back.

"You are going to play the god damn game!"

Motochika squirmed, trying to gain freedom from the smaller, disturbingly stronger man who moved to hold him down.

"I don't want to play the game!"

"I don't care! You are playing the game and proving I'm not crazy!"

"But you've always been crazy! You don't need a game to justify it!"

"I'm not crazy! I'm awesome."

"Stop speaking engrish! It's scary!" Motochika finally squirmed free, breaking away to grab his phone and run out of the café, Date chasing him down.

"I don't want to be here, Date-chan."

"I don't care."

They were sitting at a table in an arcade, watching two players nearby use the system which had apparently ruined Date. After chasing Motochika down, Date had promised to not do anything drastic so long as Motochika heard him out. Motochika, torn between friendship and sheer terror, advocated loyalty and allowed his crazy friend to drag him to an arcade with a promise of free food. Motochika hoped it wasn't going to be his last. The fries were soggy.

"Alright," Motochika began after Date finished explaining everything that had happened to him, "So…Hanbei raped your brain, but now you know that you were once a samurai. The historical guy who is the same one from that crap you write from your dreams."

"It's not crap and yes."

Motochika couldn't help but ask,"…why didn't you ever think to compare your dreams to the game when you first started playing? Wouldn't that be a sign that something was really wrong?"

Date shrugged, turned in his seat so that his one eye could watch the game being played. "The dreams are different. I always saw the people we know as characters, but only after I met them. And what I wrote…it was like it wasn't really me. Like my memories were doing it for me. I just kind of went with it, I guess. I think I was trying to force myself to remember."

Motochika found that odd. Why memories would be forcing him to remem…oh.

"Yukimura."

Date nodded. "Yukimura. I needed to remember him so I didn't fuck up this time. So I would have the chance to make up for what we couldn't have before because I was so stupid."

"Fuck up? And your dreams started a long time ago. You didn't even know Yukimura."

Date's gaze turned back towards him, but was still distant, "I think even now we are drawn to the people we had bonds with in the past. It's natural. I didn't know Yukimura when the dreams started, but something inside of me did intimately and was always searching for him. That first day I saw him I realized I had found something integral to my very existence. He was always the only person in the past, and once again in this life, to inspire within me something so passionate. You'll understand when you remember. After you see Mouri for the first time after you remember. Then you will get it. And you will wonder how you ever could have forgotten a person so important to you."

It was such a deep statement for someone like Date that Motochika wanted to clap. So he did. Motochika blamed it on nerves.

He stopped when Date looked at him with that evil eye. Motochika just grinned and scratched the back of his head. Samurai-Date-chan was kind of a prick. So was normal Date-chan, but that wasn't the point.

"How come no one else is affected? I mean, a lot of people we've watched have freaked out because its so realistic…but none have suddenly jumped out to shout, 'Hey, I was a samurai!'"

Date was still irritated, but considered the question relevant enough to answer. "I think this game was made to target us. All the characters in that game are based on people we know and some we haven't met yet. This game is calling out to specific people to make them remember."

Motochika was still absorbing everything Date was saying, and the scariest part was that he found it believable. Worse, he wanted to believe Date. Felt like he was supposed to believe Date.

He looked at the game system. He understood why Date wanted him to remember, and were he really that Chosokabe Motochika, then he wanted to recall that past life. But he also knew that everything would change once he played that game, felt that knowledge deep in his heart.

"Is this where you played Hanbei?"

Date had a relieved expression, realizing that Motochika was starting to believe him, "No. I didn't want to take the chance that he would fuck you up like he did me. "

Motochika grinned, "I'm surprised you don't want to replay him."

Date's face shifted with the force of his snarl, "Oh, I do. I'll get that little bitch. Have no worry about that."

They were silent, watching the players, both contemplating.

Date sighed, "Look, Motochika. I don't really want to hurt you or anything. I looked this game up online. We can play a couple rounds, on the light mode, where it's just you and me fighting, no one else. There are round for each character, depicting battles that were actually fought back then. Hanbei chose a pretty shitty one for me that involved Yukimura. So there must be one of ours recorded in there. We can just try it out and see how it goes. If you get uncomfortable we can stop."

"Hey, Date?" Motochika questioned, "How does this game even have all the battles in there?"

By the look on his face, Date must have long contemplated that as well. He looked gravely at Motochika and said, "I don't know."

Motochika thought about it and thought about it, but he already knew his answer. It may end up freaking him out like it did Date, but he couldn't stand not knowing.

"Hey Date, after our game, let's go find Hanbei."

Date smiled, and it was the type of grin that Motochika had often seen, but hadn't really ever seen at all.

They played for hours on the same level.

Motochika thought the entire game was brilliant.

Initially, the first sign that Date wasn't screwing with him were the characters. Motochika knew people who shared the faces of these realistic looking characters. It was too much of a coincidence for Date's story not to be real. He saw Mouri in there, had a thought about him and this game, and then let it go. He saw Takeda, and Uesugi, and the two waitresses. He saw Yukimura also, and was startled by the character's design. Both Yukimura and Date in the game matched the sketch Yukimura had made a while back at the cafe.

Yukimura definitely remembered. But why hadn't he said anything?

Maybe he couldn't?

This game was Motochika's every dream come true. He was a pirate-samurai-lord and he fought with an anchor. Hell, he could surf with an anchor on land or sea. It had been a dream of his for so long and now he could finally remember how to do it.

Date kept to his word, and their fights were more like lame spars that slowly got more dangerous, changed from a joke to a challenge to a beautiful and true battle. Something about Date in that uniform just seemed so right to Motochika, it just fit him naturally like a second skin, a part of his very person. But fighting Date, remembering Date, became the herald that brought everything back. Everything he had been, loved, lost, sacrificed. It was sorrowful rememberance, but it was also as if a piece of who he was had finally come home.

Mouri…

Motochika remembered that Mouri was alive now. They had a second chance. This time, they could truly live a long and peaceful life full of happiness. Well, once Motochika shoved his way into Mouri's life again. This time they would do everything right.

"That was ridiculous!" Date snarled.

Motchika winced, "I'm sorry! You said we could go slowly!"

"Slow does not equate to four hours, you bastard! That game is expensive!"

Motochika flung an arm around his Date-chan, "But it worked!"

Date scowled at him, "I should have just asked Kojuurou. You still doing alright?"

"Major headache. Really loopy."

Date nodded, shoving his arm off, "That happened to me too. At least a little girl didn't kick your ass after fucking with your head."

Motochika couldn't help but grin at that image, "So, to Hanbei?"

Date smirked back, "To Hanbei. Motochika, what are you doing?"

Motochika looked at the cell phone in his hand, "Oh, I'm texting Mouri so that he knows in four hundred years when I am reincarnated again I will still love him."

"Huh...and you say I'm creepy with my affections."

"You are creepy. Your affections are borderline stalkerish, though now that I think about it they always have been. What was Yukimura thinking?" Motochika grinned to make it a joke and Date caught it with a smirk of his own as he kept walking forward.

"Like he had much choice. I'm pretty sure Mouri isn't as fond of all your texts either."

"…at least I don't hide pictures of puppy-cute waiters under my pillow."

Date quickly turned to him with a horrified expression, "How did you know?"

Motochika's jaw dropped, "I thought I was JOKING!"

They arrived at the other arcade and the Devil Kings game was just as crowded as it had been at the last arcade. This crowd was certainly more wild, Motochika noticed, cheering for a slight figure decimating his enemy with his familiar character gracing the screen.

"Hanbei," Motochika acknowledged.

"Hanbei."

Motochika looked to Date who was struggling to hold himself back from slaughter, "How do you want to do this?"

"Kick his ass and demand answers?"

"We can't think like samurai here, Date-chan. This boy has an army now and I don't think he is afraid to use it."

"Just fans."

"Fans are the worst kind of army. You should know that."

"True."

They decided to be tactful and let Hanbei make the first move. They stood to the side of the game, sitting down on a bench in easy sight but out of the way of the fans. If Hanbei saw them, and he should, it would be up to him to make first contact. If he tried to escape, then they would hunt him down and demand answers.

Ten minutes later Hanbei removed his helmet after his newest victory, a clear smile written across his face as his fans cheered. He quickly saw Date and Motochika and that smile widened, as if the malicious little twit was greeting old friends. He set his equipment down and let two new players take over, jumping from the platform and walking towards the two former samurai.

"Well, I can honestly say I expected Date-dono to eventually wander back, but I am pleased he brought a friend. Are you interested in playing a game with me, Chosokabe-dono?"

Hanbei was sending shivers down his spine like always. At least right now they had to pretend they were civil and Motochika didn't have to worry about being whipped.

Motochika gave a forced smile, "Don't worry. Played a lot this morning. I'm good."

"Unlike what you did to me," Date viciously stated, "I helped Motochika remember in a way that didn't 'break' him."

"Hmm? Well, of course I could have done the same for you, Date-dono," the little bastard laughed and admitted cutely, "but I hate you, remember?"

Motochika was surrounded by such tactful people.

"What do you have against us this time? It's been over four hundred years right? Can't we all move on and get along?" Motochika asked with soothing waves of his hands.

Hanbei smiled at him, "No."

"Why not?"

Hanbei shrugged, "I just don't want to."

Date's brow twitched, "Aren't you just being a little prick about all this? Toyotomi Games. You always stalked Toyotomi. You were involved with the creation of Devil Kings, weren't you? You're the reason this is happening. Why?"

"I was involved, yes. A few of us were."

"Why do this? How did this even get started? And who else was involved?"

"Demanding as always, Date-dono, sadly for you I am just not that magnanimous. I'm doing this because I want to. I like that you remember because it will send the exact message I need, and torturing you was just that much fun. But I suggest you don't push me anymore. Stay out of my way."

"That a threat, Hanbei?" Date growled.

"No, Date-dono. That was actually me being incredibly accommodating," Hanbei informed. "You aren't as important as you think you are. This was never about you, and in all honesty I really can't bring myself to kindly grant you any worthwhile regard in the slightest. Hurting you was just fun and beneficial at the time. But we do not need to meet anymore. In fact, today is my last day to grace this arcade, so don't bother seeking me out again."

"Finally meet your 'friend'?"Date asked maliciously.

"No. But I think he will come to me this time. He knows where to find me."

Something about the way Hanbei said that worried Motochika. It was more of a threat than anything the effeminate boy had said yet.

Both Date and Motochika wanted to grab the boy and drag him out, force answers from him. But Hanbei returned to the sanctuary of his fans, was enveloped by their adoration, and departed with them to a new hunting ground. Date and Motochika could have followed, but they both knew it wouldn't matter. Hanbei was playing a game with them. All of them, everyone from the past. Even this meeting felt like Hanbei had planned for it.

"Shit!" Date exclaimed as they walked from the arcade, Hanbei and his entourage already driving off.

Motochika thought 'shit' pretty much covered it.

They were both in sour moods when they reached Motochika's apartment that evening. As Motochika fed his parrot, they tried to discuss what was happening while bitching about Hanbei in private. They didn't get very far in their thoughts as they just didn't have enough information.

At first they had wanted to go to the café; in fact, they had walked halfway there until they just couldn't go further. Feelings were too raw in Motochika and Date both. They needed a night to settle down and rethink strategy. So back to Motochika's they returned.

Date called Kojuurou when they arrived, informing his caretaker that he was spending the night. Motochika thought Kojuurou was just relieved Date wasn't stalking cute waiters again. There was a loud shriek through the phone that made both Date and Motochika jump.

"I told that idiot never to let the cat out…"

Motochika blinked.

"You have a cat?"

"Yeah, adopted one a couple nights ago as a favor," Date explained, settling himself on the floor to lean against the side Motochika's bed. Motochika, in turn, let his parrot sit on his knee while leaning against the end of the bed.

"Does reincarnation-acknowledgement cure allergies?"

"I'm not that lucky."

"Bummer. Is the cat cute?" Motochika asked curiously, petting his parrot and wondering if bird reincarnation was possible. That would be cool.

"Actually, I think you and I already decided that night we had to throw trash outside that it was evil incarnate."

Motochika frowned and turned to look around the bed at Date, "You adopted the back alley demon?"

Date looked like he was sleeping, his tilted to the side and eye closed. "Yes. His name is Datesana. Or Satan when it's bad. Considering that screech I just heard I think its Satan right now."

"…you shouldn't have pets. I don't care which lifetime it is."

"Why not?"

"Please don't make me answer that. I remember your horse."

Date just shrugged and Motochika sighed.

"Hey Date-chan? What are we going to do?"

Date shrugged again, "No idea. All I know is that I am not losing Sanada Yukimura in this life."

Motochika turned away to lean against the beg again, his parrot hopping from his leg to go visit Date. "What am I going to do about Mouri? Should we try and get everyone else to play like Hanbei is? Is it even our place to do that?"

Date didn't say anything.

"What about Kojuurou?" Motochika offered. "He knows his shit. If we get him to remember then he can help us sort all this out!"

"Not Kojuurou. He would probably just try and kill himself out of misplaced guilt for dying four hundred years ago."

"…"

"Plus I kind of want to screw with him before he remembers everything. It's more fun."

"…you're still a dick."

Date just gave a snort of laughter that Motochika added too, couldn't help it.

When they sobered, Motochika asked, "I really think Yukimura remembers everything."

"I do too."

"But why doesn't he say anything?"

"I have no idea. Or I do and I just don't want to even consider it."

Motochika crossed his legs, "Maybe…Yukimura doesn't want you to remember."

Date gave an odd shift and emitted an almost silent but strangled sound in his throat.

Motochika continued his thought anyway. "I mean, I don't think he would want you to remember what happened if he could avoid it. I would do the same for Mouri I think. We all really fucked that era up, Date. We deserved our deaths. But that doesn't mean it didn't hurt when we lost those we loved. He knows how you felt about him. Yukimura isn't such a fool that he wouldn't know what his death did to you."

"He would be that stupid. The jerk. He has been keeping everything to himself this whole time. I don't even think the ninja remembers."

Motochika watched Date stand and walk over to him, the parrot seated on his shoulder was eating his hair. Motochika charitably accepted back his parrot before Date killed it. Date sat back down next to Motochika.

"It's kind of funny though," Motochika thought out load, "How we all came together, don't you think?"

Date shook his head, "No. It's not funny. Something is going on. We need to figure it out, but I have something more important to do first."

Motochika eyed him, "Are you going to tell Yukimura you remember?"

"Not yet."

"Why? Wouldn't you two just get together again?"

Date gave a wide smirk. "I'm going to use this to my advantage. I'm going make sure that little bastard will never even think about keeping me in the dark again. I don't care if he worries about my 'happiness', he needs to realize just who is supposed to be the center of his world."

Motochika felt it the sign of a good friend to point out things Date probably refused to consider. "What if he wants a new life and that's why he keeps your relationship at friendship level? Besides, I though Takeda was the center of his world."

The look Date gave him would probably have melted steel.

"…it's a valid question."

Date sighed. "Even…even if Yukimura didn't want to be with me anymore, I would still fight for him until I won him over. Worked once right?"

"Yeah, but it drove you crazy when he chose to remain Takeda's general and not switch over to your side."

"Shut up. That isn't a problem anymore. Besides, we had a date a couple nights ago."

"Was it really a date?" As a man who knew both Date and Yukimura, Motochika was a little skeptical.

But Date looked proud of himself. "It was a date. We got food, talked for hours, and I even walked him home."

Motochika was proud if a little surprised. "Date, that was totally a date."

"Right? He still loves me, I know it. He has to. Otherwise he would shove me away like he always did Maeda."

Motochika thought about that one. "You shoved Maeda away. I recall bloodshed."

"Same difference."

They were enveloped by silence, until Motochika couldn't help but say what he was thinking.

"I have to tell Mouri."

"Why?" It wasn't really a question that Motochika would want Mouri to remember, more like a curious assessment of his reasons. Motochika figured he was still trying to figure Yukimura out.

"What would you do, Date, if Yukimura didn't remember?"

"He does. I know it."

"But what if he didn't. Be honest."

Date frowned, obviously disliking the thought of Yukimura not remembering him just as much as he hated the thought of Yukimura possibly not wanting him. "If Yukimura didn't remember me I would still love him and try to win him. But always remembering when he didn't…I would always feel like a piece of that person was being kept from me. That there was a piece of Sanada Yukimura I could not have. And we both know nothing grates me more than that. Enemy. Rival. Comrade. Friend. Lover. Our relationship was always multifaceted, but there wasn't a description which didn't in some way belong solely to me. Except loyalty. That had always belonged to Takeda. And like you said, I always hated it."

"…"

"Because loyalty got Sanada Yukimura killed."

"What are you going to do?" Motochika asked, not certain what to do with a melancholy Date.

But the bastard just grinned magnificently, crazed, optimistic and self-assured in a way Motochika had never seen in this present life. "If that bastard thinks he can keep me out of his life he has another thing coming. Yukimura has always been mine. Hah! I'm going to seduce Sanada Yukimura all over again!"

Oh, Motochika thought. Poor Yukimura.

* * *

**A/N **Message me if there are any mistakes.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10: The Case of Maeda Keiji Take 1**

**A/N** Okay.. so.. apparently I _am_ busier than i thought I'd be this year, more specifically, this MONTH of NANOWRIMO! yaayy~ But yeah. There's only one more chapter after this one before the end of the original Case series end and my accomplice and I start winging things. :D

Just to give a heads up, it'll probably be about the end of December (X-mas/New Years time) before those come out though, as I myself have Music History exam in December, and my accomplice is... up to something.

Either way, after chapter 11, there's going to be a bit of a down time :3

OKAY on with the show now.

* * *

Maeda Keiji had been considered many things in his lives: A kind rascal, the heart-breaker, an unrepentant ladies-man, annoyingly cheerful, optimistic to the point of idiocy, and so much more. All of which he accepted because they were true. He had no problem with such facets of his personality, and chose to embrace his character because that is what made him happiest.

Keiji's parents had divorced and moved their separate ways in life by the time he was thirteen. Both had offered him a home, but Keiji instead asked if he could stay with his Uncle Toshiie and Aunt Matsu. The kind couple, whom he had been closer to than his own parents, had been thrilled, always having considered Keiji as a part of their close-knit family. Keiji and his parents barely kept in touch, but letters still flew back and forth to show that there was love, and money still came from both sides to help provide for his education.

The situation had never bothered Keiji, and never once did he complain. He was, by nature, not one to look back on sorrows. Instead, he focused on the new life he could build with his aunt and uncle.

And never once did he regret it.

Before Keiji came to remember himself, he had lived a life of relative leisure even as a wanderlust he couldn't understand bloomed in his heart. An obsession grew with each passing day as he scoured travel brochures and books. Keiji loved places as much as he loved people, never understanding how a person could live their whole life trapped in one city or with one person. He had no particular place he wanted to go, he wanted to see it all, see the entire world and meet as many people as he could. He wanted to visit the historical sites, take in the unique cultures, and simply bathe in the majesty which humanity had graced upon the earth.

Remembering who he was, the person he had been, was essential for Keiji in going after his dream of seeing the world for himself. He just needed a little push from a friend first. And a different push from someone who had never quite been a friend.

Although Keiji was a very social individual who enjoyed cavorting with his endless supply of friends, he also enjoyed video games. His favorite was role playing games. He loved the adventure, the mystery, the story, the heroism, the ladies, the traveling. Within games were all of his dreams made reality, and he could play as the hero who wandered the world.

It was his love for games, and his love for pretty people, which had made him accept an odd invitation that summer, in a truly strange encounter, from a white-haired boy he had never met. Keiji had been walking home when the boy clad in violet had serenely walked towards him, as if he had been waiting for him. Every single person in the street paused to stare at the surreal and beautiful youth, and Keiji most definitely included. The graceful boy had a sinful smile to match his delicate hand, he was a master of temptation and one of Keiji's favorite types. The boy had made certain to place a subtle touch on Keiji's hand as he handed him a business card, easily hitting every turn on Keiji desired in his first sight love affairs. A pink tongue had licentiously glided over those shaded lips, and he asked if Keiji would care to play a game that had yet to be released into the world. Keiji was very interested in appreciating the boy, and so he was more than happy to play any game, particularly if that last comment was going where he hoped it was.

Three hours later, after Hanbei had kicked him out of a mansion, he remembered exactly why he and that jackal had never been friends. And Keiji would learn later, from Sanada Yukimura, that he was the second test subject of the Devil Kings prototype. Learning of the first test subject's fate, Keiji was grateful his personality was lighthearted enough to survive the game.

Hanbei was ruthless. He was cruel. And he was so very, sadly, lost in the modern world.

In lieu of this, Keiji had readily sided with Yukimura, the one person who could at least clandestinely fight Hanbei, much to the pitiless boy's immense displeasure.

Keiji and Yukimura had gone to the same high school for two years before Keiji remembered everything, before he truly remembered Yukimura. Keiji, a year older than the former Kai general, had noticed him from the very first day of a new school year. Keiji had immediately flirted with him because it was fun, and because Keiji liked that he was so cute. Yukimura, as always, had taken it with an innocently amused stride.

The more he escaped from Keiji, the more Keiji wanted to tease him. An incredible flirt, Keiji had mastered the art as easily as he mastered foreign languages, but Yukimura always gave off an air of being beyond him. Which, in typical Keiji fashion, did nothing to discourage him, only inspired his curious efforts more.

He bought Yukimura gifts as he did all his favorites, like flowers and chocolates. The boy accepted them kindly out of respect for his efforts, but always refused Keiji himself, openly admitting to that he was in love with someone else. It was evidently a one-sided affair, as Keiji had yet to hear any mention of reciprocation, and Yukimura would have told him if he were in an actual relationship. Keiji and Yukimura may have had an awkward bond at that time, but they were still oddly good friends. Keiji wondered who the unknown man was, declared them to be in a silent rivalry with each other. He never considered his rival to be a woman, because unlike Keiji, Yukimura only appreciated the physical bodies of men. He had never said anything to Keiji, would never think to, as it would only further inspire Keiji's affections and Yukimura was never one to lead a man on. Sadly for Yukimura, Keiji was observant, and had caught Yukimura's eyes occasionally straying to beautifully built brunets as if he were looking for someone else. Yukimura had a type, Keiji realized early on, and he clearly wasn't it.

Keiji knew he was handsome, for he was tall and built, with long brown hair pulled up high on his head and the face of an Adonis. Keiji could turn the head of any lady and quite a few guys when he made the effort. But Yukimura had an extremely specific type, because he was only ever in love with one man. Keiji, a man who had at least four girlfriends at a time and honestly loved them all, and who could never think to settle with just one person, suddenly very much wanted to be the one person in Yukimura's life.

He just learned he never could be.

He had caught Yukimura one day, sitting on a park bench, watching a group of people across a grassy field. Keiji, ornamented with a girlfriend under each arm, had left them both to go to Yukimura, the boy's glassy expression so unsuitable for such a lively personality. The girls had pouted, but thought of each other as a bigger threat than any boy, and so let Keiji go.

It was strange to Keiji, for as he sat down Yukimura didn't move, didn't comment, but just knew that Keiji was there beside him anyway. Keiji slid an arm around the bench, pretending to himself that he was wrapping an arm around Yukimura's shoulders. He focused his eyes to follow Yukimura's gaze, seeing the group making a vivacious ruckus Keiji could appreciate. It didn't take long for Keiji to realize that Yukimura's gaze wasn't focused on the group as a whole, but on one person in particular.

His gaze settled on a well-built brunet, slimmer and shorter than Keiji, completely Yukimura's type, and obviously the person his favorite target was in love with.

"How long have you been watching him?" Keiji asked, not really expecting an answer, obviously having interrupted a private moment Yukimura had wanted for himself.

It took a while, but finally Yukimura replied, "Since I found him when I was eleven."

It sounded as if Yukimura had been looking for this man specifically, had since been watching him for a long time, but Keiji personally decided to take it as just an odd statement with little meaning. "Have you ever talked to him?"

"Not once."

Keiji grinned widely, always the optimist, and even though he liked Yukimura too much, he was much more interested in seeing the kind boy get what he so clearly wants. "Why not? You're cute. He may go for it."

Yukimura's eyes still didn't stray from the man who was kicking a white-haired giant in the face. "I don't have anything to say that he would understand."

Keiji tilted his head curiously, trying to get a better view as the man was tackled to the ground by the giant, and he seriously started wondering what Yukimura saw in that guy aside from a nice body. "Why?"

It was a loaded question, one which could be taken in many different ways.

"Because I want to say that I'm sorry."

Keiji had no idea what to say after such a statement full of a soul-tearing loss he couldn't understand. So he smiled, grabbed Yukimura by the arm, and treated him to ice cream.

After Keiji remembered everything, courtesy of the hellion Hanbei, he knew exactly why Yukimura would never love him. And he remembered exactly who that person Yukimura had been watching in the park was. He knew he didn't have a chance, but just like in a previous life, Keiji had to at least try to win Yukimura's affection. So dressed in his best, with roses he bought from Azai Nagamasa of all people, Keiji openly and halfheartedly declared for the last time his immeasurable fondness for Yukimura, already knowing the answer he would receive.

"I'm sorry Maeda-kun, I recognize your feelings for me because I care for you as a friend, but I can never reciprocate or be anything more to you than what I am now."

"Date?" Keiji asks before he can stop himself, and Yukimura's eyes widen, looking torn between joy and running away.

"Date Masamune isn't my only issue," Yukimura finally responds, and Keiji's eyes grow grim in the realization that Yukimura unquestionably remembers everything as he had suspected.

They talked about it that warm summer day, about everything, about Hanbei and Toyotomi, about Date Masamune, and particularly The Great Tiger Café, which was at the time being built and would come to serve as the base of their operation. Yukimura told him the secrets of Devil Kings and Hanbei's true intentions, making Keiji wish he could be more surprised.

It was the truth of everything that made Keiji realize Yukimura's secret, and more importantly, why he didn't want Date Masamune to know he existed. For surely, no matter what time they lived in, Date would never let Yukimura go once they met. It was the strange reality of their existence to always be drawn to one another. The sad fact was that this life was easier for Yukimura if Date didn't remember anything. Because Yukimura was punishing himself for the sins he had committed in this second life, and aside from one important moment, Date Masamune never failed in making Sanada Yukimura happy.

But how often had Yukimura secretely come in proximity of Date, hoping in spite of himself that the person he loved would see him, remember him, and love him back?

It was sad to Keiji, how long Yukimura, who remembered longer than anyone, had been so alone with two lives worth of memories and grief. It was the end of their conversation when Yukimura turned to Keiji and asked, "Keiji? I want to make everyone, even without their memories, happy this time…will you help me?"

Whether out of kindness or atonement, Yukimura's only concern was bringing happiness to the people of an era who had lost so much. The only person he could depend on, who had the skills and ability to help, was Keiji. And to Keiji, who had always idolized the many facets of love above all else, it sounded like a perfect idea and so very like Yukimura to ask that Keiji could not refuse.

Whether Yukimura realized it or not, he had just given Keiji the key to the wanderer's happiness. He had given Keiji the excuse he needed to begin the great quest of his life, that epic journey he had been longing for. But like every true adventure hero, the first step in starting his expedition was saying goodbye to his family, that one sad moment which had been holding him back from his beloved wanderings for years.

Toshiie and Matsu had been grieved, but also understood, both having known for a long time that Keiji's nature was never one meant to stay in a single place, even if it was with them. They did not like that he dropped out of school (neither did his parents when they found out and cut off funds) but they let Keiji go, hoping he would be able to find his way. Keiji promised to come home and visit, that he would keep in touch, and for the year he was gone he stayed true to his word.

Keiji did not look back and he never once regretted the day he left for places unknown. The wanderlust of his soul was being quenched and he was heartened to know that if all else failed he still had a place to return to. But for now he was living his dream.

The plan he and Yukimura had concocted was not one of great calculated detail. Their strategy, mostly built on ideas they could only hope would work, had Keiji traveling Japan as he had only dreamed of, searching for the reborn souls of old friends and enemies. It didn't matter how Keiji or Yukimura felt personally about the old samurai they would find, all that mattered was bringing happiness to all they could. Keiji, if luck allowed it, would find reincarnations in his vast travels, and if they needed help he would give them Yukimura's card to send them to The Great Tiger Cafe, which would be open by the time Keiji and Yukimura needed it to be, and then it would be up to Yukimura to try and help these people find their happiness. Keiji wasn't sure which of them had the more difficult job.

It took two months of traveling before a tabloid gave Keiji a clue to the location of an old "friend". He had been sitting in a café, thinking about Yukimura and flirting with a waitress, when a man walking out with his wife had dropped the magazine. Keiji, always the good guy, picked it up and tried to return it, but froze completely when he saw the cover. By the time he had recovered himself, the man was gone and Keiji considered it a case of his own fortune to now be able to keep the magazine.

He paid his bill and ran out before the man tried coming back.

Keiji did make sure to get the waitress' number before he left. The first item Keiji had bought before he left his hometown was a small red book which he planned on using to hold different phone numbers and addresses of the sexiest vixens he could find in his travels and categorize them by city. This waitress was going at the top of this city's list.

Keiji reached his hotel room, and began reading the article, laughing hysterically and calling Yukimura before he could even finish it. Yukimura chided him for being mean but Keiji could tell he was also amused.

On the cover of a tabloid magazine was a straight-faced Fuuma Kotarou, former ninja, and currently a fourteen year-old rich boy and illegitimate son of a well-known politician. He had been expelled from his sixth boarding school out of the country due to bribery, violence, and extortion in no particular order. Keiji loved it. Yukimura did too, but he was a nicer person than Keiji was and wouldn't openly admit it.

So the first person Keiji tracked down was Kotarou. It wasn't difficult finding out where he lived, the tricky part was getting in to see him, especially since Kotarou's father had him under strict house arrest. Keiji had spent two days trying to figure out a plan, mostly sticking to his hotel.

In the end he decided that sex appeal was his only usable advantage and that probably wouldn't mean anything to a fourteen year old ninja.

So Keiji decided to stick to the basics and got a job as a pizza delivery boy. At first he was mortified, but then for the week he worked he decided it was actually really fun. He was able to not only work on his plan, but travel the city and meet different people as well. He called Yukimura after a few days and explained his genius plan. Keiji knew that if he was talking to anyone else they would have hung up after he admitted to deciding that he wanted to be a world-traveling delivery boy for the rest of his life.

After the amusing week had passed, it was time for Keiji to return to the Kotarou issue. He had learned what he could from coworkers and city folk about the Fuuma family, and his curiosity was peaked when it was mentioned that Fuuma Kotarou had apparently stopped speaking three weeks ago, a fact which hadn't been in the tabloid. Keiji hoped it meant what he thought it did.

Keiji rode his loaned bicycle, which Yukimura had helped pay for like the hotel, and with pizzas in hand and the sad reality that he would soon be fired from his dream job, Keiji was checked by security guards and let through the gates of the great Fuuma household. Keiji swore the house was more like an armed fortress, and he realized that on top of getting fired he was probably also going to go to jail for a very long time. Yukimura may have been right when he called earlier to ask Keiji to reconsider this particular aspect of his plan.

Too late now.

Keiji rang the doorbell once, putting on his best smile when a buxom maid with the prettiest eyes opened the door with a confused look on her face.

"Hey there," Keiji said, oozing ridiculous amounts of charm. "I have a pizza here for an F.K. Is he around?"

The maid, young and blushing just as Keiji liked, stuttered, "F.K.? I don't know a…oh, maybe, but I don't know how he could have…"

"Oh, the order was faxed to us," Keiji explained, and the maid brightened immediately.

"Oh! This is wonderful!" the maid exclaimed.

Curious, Keiji leaned in close, winking conspiratorially, "Really? How so?"

The maid looked uncomfortable, but she stared into Keiji's eyes and fell into their loving depths. She looked behind her and then motioned for Keiji to come inside, which he happily did. She took the pizza from Keiji, and as she paid him with her own money she whispered, "Kotarou-sama has been refusing food since he came home. We have all been so worried about him. I am relieved to know he has been ordering in and none of the other maids have said anything…"

Keiji made a disinterested sound, covering up his growing curiosity as the maid looked up at him from under her lovely lashes. Keiji just couldn't get over her sparkling eyes. He took out his notebook and opened to a blank page, silently asking for her phone number. She smiled sweetly and took the pen he offered. Priorities well in order, Keiji congratulated himself for not only getting into the house but getting a number as well.

Now for the ninja…

Keiji leaned in to whisper, "This is really awkward, but I have been delivering all night. Is there any way I could use your bathroom?"

It wasn't romantic in the slightest, but it wasn't like he was really smart like Hanbei or Katakura, so this was the best he could come up with. He gave his maid the most adorably pathetic look he could, inwardly acknowledging the fact that if Yukimura were here she probably would have let him use the bathroom without question, and then would have given him cookies and chocolate milk after the fact.

For someone like Keiji she hesitated, "I am really not even supposed to let you inside…"

"Please? I will be really fast, and I will even let myself out so no one will see me with you," Keiji begged, and somehow he screwed up because she was beginning to look suspicious.

So he did what he did best and kissed her.

When he finally released her lovely pink lips she was out of breath and dazed. It took little coercing now for her to lead him to the bathroom, especially when he deftly kissed away any doubts she began to have. When they reached the bathroom in the servants quarters, Keiji tore out a piece paper from his mini notebook and took out his wallet in search of Hanbei's card, copying the phone number on the paper after deciding that if he was going to get arrested it would be more amusing if they thought Hanbei was involved. Keiji felt bad as the maid took the paper with obvious excitement, kissing him herself this time before bounding happily away.

Feeling like an even bigger bastard than Oda Nobunaga, Keiji began sneaking through the large house, hiding often at the smallest sound. He searched rooms as he found them, wishing the ninja could have left some sign of where his room was located. This place had more bedrooms than people, which was sad because Keiji could easily find uses for each neglected room.

It had taken him forty stressful minutes of sneaking through the dark, which probably made his poor, pretty maid think he had left, by the time he found Fuuma Kotarou's room.

It was obviously his room, because Kotarou was the only person who would throw a sharpened pencil as a murder weapon at Keiji's peeking head. Keiji had always thought ninjas were cool in the way they could make anything a weapon, even if that weapon was a pencil embedded in the wall where Keiji's head had been.

Excited, not daunted in the slightest, Keiji nearly threw the door open in his excitement as the deadpan little ninja wanted to glower at him. The boy was sitting cross-legged on his bed, dressed as prissy as the humored Keiji had hoped he would be, even though it had probably been forced on the kid.

"Hey, you remember everything, don't you?" Keiji asked, closing Kotarou's door as he stepped into the room. "Do you remember me?"

Kotarou looked at him with deep consideration, and then looked down to where his notepad rested on his lap, using another weapon-pencil to write a message in bold English letters.

Almost proudly, Kotarou pointed at Keiji, who nodded, and then held up the notepad for his viewing pleasure.

WHORE

Well, Keiji decided, the truth was the truth.

Initially, Keiji's plan had been to meet Kotarou and then somehow escape the house, leaving Yukimura's cell phone number so the boy could call…text him. Instead, Kotarou decided for himself that he would rather run away with Keiji than stay in his house.

So Keiji, who was starting to fear Kotarou's pencil action, would now probably end up being arrested for kidnapping too. Wonderful.

With Kotarou's ninja skills they were able to escape the mansion, which, because Kotarou was a fucking ninja, meant roof climbing and tree jumping. Keiji wasn't a ninja, so at one point he fell and was chased by guard dogs. Kotarou could have helped, but apparently found much more amusement in watching Keiji dodge the jaws of death.

By the time the two got to the hotel room, Keiji was exhausted and a bit upset, but still sat Kotarou down calmly to explain what was going on and get some answers for himself.

"How do you remember everything, Kotarou?"

Kotarou wrote down a name.

Hanbei

Keiji frowned, wondering how Hanbei had even gotten to him, but Kotarou merely shrugged and Keiji let it go. When Keiji mentioned Yukimura, Kotarou held up a finger to pause Keiji's explanation of events, using his pencil to draw a picture of a cute tiger-kitty with a bow around its head and a tail curled around a shoddy spear. Keiji shrugged and agreed the picture fit Yukimura. Before Keiji could continue, Kotarou wrote a message.

Sarutobi Sasuke

Keiji blinked, "Yeah, Sasuke and Yukimura are friends."

Kotarou didn't even hesitate to write his next message.

I'm coming with you.

"What? You don't even really know what's going on!" Keiji exclaimed. "Can't you go back home before I get arrested? I know you can get back. I only brought you here to talk everything out!"

Kotarou wrote a longer reply this time.

You have now given me the reason I need for having this life. You will not get arrested. I am Fuuma Kotarou and have no equal. In gratitude I will serve you until you complete your task. Then I will meet Sarutobi Sasuke.

Keiji frowned, "Really? Do you really have to do this? If you want I can just give you the address and you can go see Sasuke yourself."

Kotarou looked at him but wrote nothing, and Keiji came to realize that Kotarou, usually a man of immediate action, was now an adult ninja in the body of a fourteen year-old boy. There was no way his pride would allow him to meet Sasuke, his rival, as he was now.

Keiji groaned, his mind looking at the advantages of having Kotarou around, "I really won't get arrested?"

Kotarou drew an angry face on his notepad, proving to Keiji that he had insulted the ninja.

"Sorry, sorry!"

Thus began "The Keiji and Kotarou Road Trip Extravaganza", which is what Keiji decided to call it as he informed Yukimura about what was going on. Yukimura couldn't seem to wrap his mind around Keiji and Kotarou doing anything together. Keiji could understand his feelings about the strange concept.

Yet they traveled together successfully for a year, even if they were the worst companions ever, as Keiji never shut up and Kotarou never said a word. And just as Kotarou had promised, he pulled some strings that kept Keiji from being arrested. In fact, having a recovered ninja was highly helpful in many aspects of Keiji's life. He was the master at gathering information, was able to find the best hotels for the cheapest prices, and could easily sneak into any place Keiji wouldn't dare after the trauma he had in getting out of Kotarou's house.

Teasing Kotarou with hotel porn was just an added bonus.

Keiji would often send Yukimura souvenirs and pictures of their travels, to show the fun they were having. They would hit local festivals and events, taking so many pictures that Yukimura could feel that he was with them. Kotarou was forced into the pictures, which probably delighted the former general even more. Yukimura, who really enjoyed seeing the fun they were having, compiled Keiji and Kotarou's adventure into a scrapbook for them.

To support their adventure, Keiji, who found great amusement in mocking the ninja, forced Kotarou into joining him as a wandering but professional delivery boy. Whenever Kotarou became too humiliated by his profession, Keiji would pat him on the back and say, "Come on, Ko-Ko-kun, show some pride in your work!"

To Kotarou's credit, he only snapped a pizza box in half once.

Kotarou probably often wondered what he had possibly done to deserve this life, but he never once complained. His chance at one day meeting Sarutobi Sasuke, who did not remember him, became the driving force he needed for putting up with, and eventually, extraordinarily, befriending Keiji.

In their travels they were able to find a lot of familiar faces, and while a couple accepted their assistance and took the cards Keiji offered, most had their own lives sorted out. Much like Toshiie and Matsu who had been able to find each other again and were just as happy in this life as they were in the last. Nevertheless, Keiji kept their locations logged. Kotarou thought that Keiji and Yukimura were ridiculous, and that it wasn't their place to force happiness on others.

Keiji told him to shut up or go home. Kotarou wrote out that he hadn't said anything, which was technically true, so Keiji conceded to the power of the notepad.

The first person they managed to find together was Zabii. He hadn't really changed at all. The man stood on his podium, attracting people to join his zealous church with his seemingly cultured enthusiasm. They sat through one of his services, and Keiji had to kick Kotarou awake twice after he realized the ninja was a cheater who had mastered the art of sleeping with his eyes open.

Forced to stay awake, Kotarou had eventually gotten irritated by how fidgety Keiji was. Kotarou frowned at his notepad, and then wrote Keiji a message.

I challenge you to a staring eye contest.

Having nothing better to do Keiji agreed, neither boy really comprehending how odd it may look in a Christian church for them to be staring directly in each other's eyes during a service. Struggling, Keiji eventually remembered that he was facing off against a damn ninja and purposely lost. Vexed, Kotarou gave up and drew a picture of Zabii-angels. This caught Keiji's attention, and with a grin the wanderer took the pen from his mini notebook and drew Kotarou slaughtering them. This made Kotarou very happy.

And so they passed their time with good humor, deciding that Zabii was better left alone.

They found Shimazu Yoshihiro by accident a couple of months later. Bored after a day of traveling, Kotarou had tried teaching Keiji the art of stealth. Keiji had slipped from a roof and cut his arm open. Disappointed in Keiji's failure, Kotarou had offered to give him stitches personally, but the excitement the stoic fourteen year-old had at the prospect terrified Keiji. So while Keiji was getting stitches, Kotarou was set free in the hospital alone, something which slightly terrified the wanderer.

After Keiji was released, Kotarou had appeared out of nowhere and grabbed him. Keiji had tried to ask him what he had found, but the answer quickly became apparent. Shimazu was in the maternity ward of a hospital. He was seven hours old.

"Wow," Keiji admitted to Kotarou. "You're good."

Poker-faced, Kotarou drew a happy face.

"Think he's still a drunk?"

Kotarou looked at the baby.

Probably

To his immense irritation and Kotarou's humor, it was Keiji's perversions which helped them find Imagawa Yoshimoto three months later. Keiji had wanted to see a city's red light district, and Kotarou, with nothing better to do and fearful of leaving Keiji alone with other "whores", had followed him. Imagawa remained the cowardly, make-up clad man of the past, still laughing profoundly for all his good fortune. This time though, he was surrounded by hundreds of beautiful women who loved him and whom he had no interest in. Imagawa was the rich, star pimp of the red light district. After watching the man disco dance in a club with all his women cheering loudly, Keiji was so disappointed in fate that he trudged off into the night, completely uninterested in any pleasures the district had to offer. Kotarou was so amused by his reaction that he didn't even find it necessary to tease him about it.

Finding Miyamoto Musashi had been easy after the wild man became the star player of a popular baseball team. They figured out where the team would have their practices and sat in the bleachers for an opportunity to meet Miyamoto. Keiji had wanted a hotdog, but apparently he had been misinformed about the availability of his favorite edible stereotype. Kotarou was bored, but Keiji let him sleep this time. Though at one point during Kotarou's nap, Keiji had gotten bored enough to try drawing on his ninja partner's face. Kotarou had instantly turned to him with the silent wrath of a ninja and Keiji never dared try it again.

When the practice ended, Keiji had introduced himself and Kotarou before handing Miyamoto a card with Yukimura's number, telling the man that if he ever needed to talk to anyone in private, that this person was very special and would do everything to see that he was happy in life. Miyamoto didn't understand, but took the card with deliberation. Whether he called or not was up to him.

Kotarou teased Keiji by writing that Miyamoto would never call because Keiji made Yukimura sound like a prostitute.

Keiji realized belatedly that Kotarou was right.

After a year had passed, Keiji decided it was time to visit home. Kotarou, now fifteen, had mixed feelings about this, and Keiji figured he was still embarrassed about his age predicament.

Yukimura was excited to hear they were coming back and looked forward to meeting Kotarou again. To Keiji's amusement, the boy skipped school to meet them at the airport, leaving Kotarou completely flummoxed as Keiji and Yukimura enthusiastically greeted each other. Keiji purposely hugged Yukimura, and he was relieved that his year away had cooled his more lustful intentions. He still cared for the younger man, but it was with the affections of a friend…which meant he was still allowed to teasingly flirt, but it meant nothing so everything was perfect in Keiji's world.

Toshiie and Matsu had welcomed the three boys into their home with eagerness, happy to see their Keiji and interested in the friends he had made. They all ate lunch together, catching up on the mundane and all the vague details of Keiji's travels. It had been fun, but Keiji was a little disappointed in realizing that he hadn't really missed anything. He had been expecting some delayed homesickness maybe, but he felt nothing. He felt like the most ungrateful man in the world.

After lunch, Keiji and his two friends retired to his room to discuss the past year in greater details. Eventually, they began noticing how a majority of the old-time friends who did need something had been growing closer to each other, a fact which worried Yukimura for obvious reasons.

"Mouri-san works at Azai-san's flower shop now. I just met him!" Yukimura explained from Keiji's computer chair, once again tossing a paper ball to Kotarou who was sitting on the bed. Keiji had no idea how those two had even started that game.

"Mouri, huh? That may be a fun visit. I am so going to say hi," Keiji responded, catching the paper ball in the air with a grin to stop their game, causing Kotarou to mash a new one to throw at Keiji's head for interfering. Yukimura just looked incredibly amused.

"Mouri-san doesn't remember so be nice to him."

"I'm almost always nice!" Keiji replied.

When you aren't a-

"Quiet you," Keiji retorted to his ninja friend without malice, shoving the pad down even before he could finish reading what Kotarou had written.

Watching them, and Keiji wasn't sure how he did it, Yukimura got the "Date-Look" in his eyes, the one that told Keiji where the conversation was heading, "Mouri-san goes to school with Chosokabe Motochika and Date Masamune."

"Oh?" Keiji asked, as if he hadn't figured there would be a connection between Mouri and Date from Yukimura's expression.

"Hm. Date Masamune is even in a class with Sasuke."

Kotarou, generally expressionless, looked at Yukimura with an intensity that had often made Keiji a little worried. Right now though, Keiji was more concerned about how Yukimura's world was getting smaller, slowly colliding with Date Masamune's once again.

Yukimura had been following Date discreetly for years, probably never expecting that they may actually one day meet in person. Keiji could tell just by looking at Yukimura that the boy was torn with the guilt in his heart, his love for Date, and the combined force of selfish wishes needling a selfless heart.

A couple of weeks later, after summer had ended and Keiji had plenty of opportunities to hassle Mouri in the flower shop for old time's sake, Yukimura skipped school again so that the three could have one more day together before Keiji and Kotarou left to find Tokugawa Ieyasu for Honda Tadakatsu. Matsu and Toshiie were convinced that Keiji and Kotarou were eloping, which freaked Keiji out because they were being supportive of his not-relationship with a fifteen year-old boy.

After the three met, and driving the car he had borrowed from Toshiie, Keiji looked at Yukimura in the passenger's seat and asked, "You know I don't mind, Yukimura, but should you be skipping school so much?"

"It's fine," Yukimura replied simply, turning his head away to hide the red stain on his cheeks that proved that it probably wasn't fine.

"Won't your parents notice?"

"Oyakata-sama trusts me."

And Keiji understood that this fact hurt Yukimura. Because not only did he see Takeda Shingen as his father, but also as a leader. Yukimura remembered everything that Takeda didn't, loved him in ways the Tiger of Kai of today couldn't comprehend. There were things Yukimura was forced to hide from this most important person and it was hurting the former general greatly.

Once again, Keiji couldn't comprehend just how utterly alone Yukimura must have felt, living with all of his memories and surrounded by friends and family he loved who could not truly remember him.

"You know, I could always just drop you off at work. You don't have to go back to the school first."

Yukimura shook his head. "No, I have to go to the school. Sasuke's father is back in town from work for this week and is letting him use the car. Sasuke was really excited about being able to pick me up. If I declined it would just seem suspicious."

So Keiji dropped Yukimura off late, which had to have made Sasuke late getting back to the café.

Yukimura came to Keiji's home that night, completely depressed. Keiji, who had opened the door to let Yukimura in, realized that the boy had probably snuck out of his house that night.

"I met Date Masamune today."

Keiji nodded, understanding that Yukimura needed a place to hide from the world because he and Date Masamune had finally met as destiny demanded.

Somehow, Keiji wasn't really sure why, but Yukimura never bothered smiling for him. He did it for the others because they needed his smile. But Keiji could smile for himself, and even Yukimura needed someone to depend on, someone who remembered everything as he did.

Sometimes Yukimura just needed someone who didn't depend on his smile.

"It always hurts to be the one in love," Keiji said ironically as he let Yukimura sit on his bed. Kotarou was laying on the floor, but Keiji could never tell if he was actually asleep or not.

"Can I stay here tonight?" Yukimura asked.

"In what fashion?" Keiji joked.

"Not that."

Keiji thought Yukimura would be okay if he was still able to shoot him down that quickly.

Yukimura lay down on the bed and Keiji followed after him.

"Fair enough. I love how you don't even blink at my propositions. You used to, back then. Used to blush a lot too."

Yukimura smiled as they both settled under the covers. "That was before I had Date Masamune for a lover. He usually skipped that part."

Keiji couldn't help but laugh at Yukimura's blunt statement, "Go Date."

Yukimura soon fell asleep, and Keiji turned on his side to watch him.

He felt Kotarou tap his shoulder before he had even heard him move from the floor. But Keiji was used to the ninja's silent movements by now and turned towards him.

Kotarou opened his notepad now that he had Keiji's attention.

Can we find his happiness too?

Keiji smiled and nodded, honestly surprised that Kotarou would even bother offering, though maybe their trip had opened the stoic ninja up as well. The boy had slowly, towards the end of this year, begun to appreciate what it meant to have someone out there who wanted nothing but happiness for you.

Kotarou nodded at Keiji, satisfied, and then went back to his futon, trusting Keiji to think of a plan.

Keiji may have at one point actually loved Yukimura, he wasn't really sure, though he had always held an attraction for the small brunet in both lives. But Keiji lived so that others could be happy, and that included Yukimura. He was not such a fool that he didn't know the only person who could break Yukimura out of his self-loathing shell was the man who never failed in making him happy. That man wasn't Keiji, even though it would have been nice if it was.

Date Masamune.

Keiji would never be surprised if Date just socked him when they met. It had happened once before, had become a damn bar brawl. But it had been fun, both the battle and the flirtation that caused it, and Yukimura had gotten into a rare snit which had been adorably hilarious. It got even more amusing when Date had to physically swallow his pride and apologize in fear of never getting laid again.

Keiji missed those days. Was probably one of the only few who did.

But it was such memories that fueled his final decision. He and Kotarou would find Tokugawa Ieyasu, but then they would come back. Their target this time was Yukimura's happiness.

Maeda Keiji was going to help Date Masamune.

* * *

**A/N** Yeup. THE END IS NEAR! D: ... or :D

Tell me if there are any mistakes.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: The Case of Date Masamune Take 4**

* * *

Masamune realized, all too belatedly, that he had been a fool. Prior to the return of his memories, Masamune had been so focused on winning Yukimura's favor, a desperate demand of his very soul to reclaim what had been stolen from him, that he hadn't focused enough on Sanada Yukimura himself.

Masamune had arrived at the café early that morning, but instead of taking immediate action as he had planned, he just couldn't help but be distracted by Yukimura.

Masamune had sat down at his usual table, pulling out his laptop to work on his written legacy, and then felt his heart shatter and mend when Yukimura did nothing more than smile at him from behind the counter, retying his apron before coming to take Masamune's first order.

It had been different that night when he had embraced Yukimura in the alley. Too many stray emotions were assaulting his tormented mind. He wasn't able to comprehend what it meant to have Yukimura in his arms. There was simply too much desperation and joy in just knowing he wasn't dead. Masamune hadn't realized the significance of that moment until he was lying in his bed at home, blankly staring at his hands before wrapping his arms tightly around himself.

Masamune had held Yukimura for the first time in centuries.

He held Yukimura.

Masamune had stayed away from Yukimura after that to collect his thoughts, had researched Hanbei and Toyotomi, and then even asked for Motochika's help to make sure that he hadn't completely lost his mind. He hadn't. They were all somehow alive again.

Yukimura was alive.

And now, sitting in the café, finally in Yukimura's presence again, Masamune couldn't help but just stare at him. Masamune didn't care if he looked like a fool, before him was Sanada Yukimura. Masamune was simply enraptured, trapped in the catharsis of seeing his once lover energetically flitting about with his usual bounce. He looked the same, sounded the same, and even moved the same as before. Masamune, who remembered their final moments in the past, was content for the first few hours of this day just watching Yukimura be alive.

The man he loved, the man he had lost, the lover he had carried from the battlefield long after his breath had ceased. Sanada Yukimura was standing, breathing, lightly flushed from exertion, so beautifully perfect and was smiling at him now.

But his Yukimura was…off.

Without remembering who he was as Date Masamune, and without realizing that Yukimura remembered everything as well, there was no way he would have been able to recognize the subtle wrongness surrounding the former general.

But Masamune did remember now, and he knew Yukimura.

And watching Yukimura move about the café after taking his morning order, Masamune was completely aware that something was off with his little fool. At the same time, Masamune was still upset that Yukimura had ignored his memory-lacking affections…

Yukimura had ignored him.

Yukimura had played nicely, been a friend, but ignored him. It was one thing to unintentionally overlook Masamune's affections, especially as Yukimura had always been a little dense in matters regarding romance, often making Masamune the initiator in most of their interactions.

But Yukimura had remembered from the beginning.

Masamune had tried once again to win his love.

And Yukimura had ignored him.

Masamune couldn't believe it.

They were Date Masamune and Sanada Yukimura. Since when had one of them been capable of ignoring the other? Even when they hadn't necessarily liked each other they had been drawn to one another, had instinctively known one another. One battle had been all that was needed for them both to be completely captivated. No matter who they fought after their first meeting, no matter who they met after, no matter who they already knew, it was only in each other did they find such a surreal and unique meaning.

Even when the present Masamune had no memories, he had still known that Yukimura was essential to his being.

Sanada Yukimura, who had remembered everything for a long time, who remembered how wonderfully they had loved and how horribly they had parted, had ignored Masamune. Masamune wondered if Yukimura was still mad about what happened in the past. He wouldn't blame him. But that didn't give Yukimura the right to ignore him.

He couldn't believe that Yukimura had ignored him and didn't want to understand it. It just shouldn't be possible.

Well, Yukimura was going to notice him now.

In Masamune's mind, whatever idiotic reason Yukimura had for avoiding him would be sorted out and then they could just go back to how they were before everything went wrong. They weren't torn apart for the same reasons as last time. They would be fine after Masamune had a little fun.

So in the early afternoon, when Yukimura came by to take his lunch order, Masamune finally commenced his terribly miscalculated plan.

"How is your writing coming along, Masamune?" Yukimura asked, looking so adorably innocent that Masamune wished he could feel bad for what he was about to do.

Masamune gave a light smile, keeping Yukimura unaware, and replied, "Not too well. I'm afraid I got stuck."

Concerned, Yukimura responded, "I'm sorry, Masamune. You've been working so hard."

Masamune nodded, exaggeratedly attempting to emanate a pitiful air as he inwardly laughed. He sighed dramatically, "I really don't know what to do. I can't really ask for help, no one else knows the story or the characters."

"…Masamune?" Yukimura questioned, looking down from his notepad to where Masamune had caught hold of one apron tie.

"Hm?" Masamune sounded, slowly wrapping the black material around his right index finger, dragging his hand closer to Yukimura's body.

Yukimura seemed conflicted, his hands gripping his pen and notepad tightly.

"Hey, Yukimura?" Masamune questioned, letting his hold on the apron go to tap the backspace key on his laptop. "I know it's awkward, but would you mind if I talked to you about it during your break? Maybe discussion can get me back into writing again."

At first, Yukimura seemed torn between hesitation and concern, but then he really looked at Masamune. And Masamune recognized the expression, the meaning in his once-lover's eyes. He knew that expression intimately from nights long past, when the bloody future was uncertain and all they wanted to do was hold each other. Masamune shoved down the elation he felt in knowing that whatever reason Yukimura had for avoiding him, it certainly wasn't a lack of love.

He watched Yukimura discreetly look at the clock, and then around the room to take note of the low number of customers scattered throughout the café. The scary father had retired into his office, so it was only Yukimura and the cake girl working.

It was the slow hour before the lunch rush, and on most days it was Masamune's favorite time because it was slow enough for him and Yukimura to talk.

Today it was going to be Masamune's favorite time for a more notorious reason.

"Hold on one second, Masamune. I'll ask Oichi-san if we can switch breaks."

Not only was Masamune forced to accept that he was an incompetent actor, he also took note that Yukimura was just as gullible as always.

At Masamune's grateful but false smile, Yukimura disappeared behind the counter to talk to the long-haired waitress. The pale girl blushed as Yukimura enthusiastically begged for the break switch. The cake girl brought one fist to her chest, blushed even more deeply, and then said something before Yukimura quickly hugged her. Masamune felt his eye twitch as he watched them, and was still frowning when Yukimura let her go to come back to his table.

Any sympathy for Yukimura that Masamune may have possessed had been squashed by the boy's heterosexual interaction. It was proof that Yukimura was just as well-liked as always, which was dangerous. Dangerous for anyone who Masamune, who was never above murder or subterfuge, felt was getting too close. If Yukimura thought he and Masamune were over he was vastly mistaken. There was no way Masamune would ever let Yukimura stray.

It was time for Masamune to reclaim his place in Yukimura's life.

After weaving through the tables, Yukimura practically jumped into the seat across from Masamune. In turn, Masamune smiled lightly and hid his intentions and prior irritation, closing his laptop and setting it inside his bag.

Yukimura tilted his head, "Won't you need that?"

"No, not right now. Now we need to talk."

Masamune leaned forward, crossing his arms on the table and staring deeply into Yukimura's soulful eyes. Yukimura stared back, mildly hypnotized, and then Masamune purposely broke the moment, knowing for certain that Yukimura was at least still attracted to him.

So what was the problem?

"Everything alright?" Masamune asked.

Yukimura snapped out of his daze. "Wh-what?"

Masamune grinned, propping his head up from the table with his right arm, "With the cake girl you are trading shifts with?"

"Huh? Oh. Yes! Yes. She wants to talk to me before she goes on her later break though," Yukimura replied with an easy smile. "But we don't have too much time now... my longer break isn't until before the dinner rush. We could always start now and continue then, though! Or I have to close the café tonight since Oyakata-sama and Kenshin-san have a date, so we could always speak later if you are still around."

"Don't worry. I'm simply positive I can talk about this problem for hours," Masamune began conspiratorially, putting his arm back down and leaning his face in closer to Yukimura's. "I am having a really big problem figuring a character out."

Yukimura leaned in as well, led by the mood of Masamune's secrecy. "What's the character's name?"

"Hmm...let's call him 'S' for now. I don't want to completely give my story away."

"Okay, S then," Yukimura nodded, committing the name to memory. Masamune wished they were together already, because then he would be allowed to hold him for being so adorably stupid. Sadly Masamune still wanted to be mad at him.

"Well, romance really isn't the focus of this story, but S's relationship with another character is where I am really stuck at, you see?"

"I suppose," Yukimura replied, then paused, staring at Masamune with a frown as he caught the English phrase.

Masamune quickly went back to the conversation before Yukimura could think too much on it. "This character…I should really know enough about him that I could expect a lot of different reactions but…I'm not certain how to describe it…"

Masamune hid a smirk when Yukimura said, "Maybe if you describe a little bit of S's story I would be able to understand more. I may be able to help somehow?"

It was too perfect. Yukimura already knew the story, knew what Masamune had been long dreaming and sketching. Dear Yukimura, with his kind disposition, was trying to help Masamune who wasn't supposed to remember anything. It made Masamune want to laugh in self-derision.

"I can do that. Well, the story takes place over four centuries ago. It's a story of war and doomed lovers." Masamune easily caught Yukimura's uncomfortable shifting, inwardly wondering how the obvious youth had been able to fool people for so long. "Aside from S, the other main character is…let's call him A."

"A?" Yukimura exclaimed, not having expected that.

Struggling not to laugh, Masamune replied, "Yes. A. It's my character, so I can call him whatever I want. Got a problem?"

"N-no! Just…I didn't expect the letter to be…A."

Masamune gracefully shrugged, "Well, now I know you have a prejudice against A. Poor, unloved A."

"I don-"

"Stop interrupting my story," Masamune said, cutting off Yukimura with a serious look. The younger man frowned and hung his head, letting Masamune continue his story. Masamune openly smirked with glee because Yukimura couldn't see it.

But then the hilarity receded, because Yukimura was no longer looking at him. Masamune reached out to take Yukimura's right hand with his left, causing the boy to jump and stare at him. But Masamune just continued holding his hand, capturing Yukimura's gaze with his own once again. Yukimura opened his mouth to say something, but Masamune turned Yukimura's hand palm up, using his right hand to stroke the inside of Yukimura's, familiarizing himself with a touch he had long been denied. He was amazed at the different feel now that battle-worthy calluses were gone. Masamune couldn't wait for the opportunity to take off the rest of Yukimura's clothing and see his unscarred flesh. Unlike his past incarnation, this Yukimura didn't wear revealing clothing, which was both a blessing and a minor disappointment.

Yukimura, finally recovered from the shock of the action, tried to pull his hand away but Masamune gripped it tightly, cradling it with both of his own. Yukimura tried to tear his eyes away, but Masamune made certain to stare Yukimura, capturing him completely as he told their story.

"Picture this clearly, Yukimura. The country has imploded with war between rival leaders. A and S, are two such powerful enemy leaders. They meet one dark night in the prelude to the major war. Immediately their attention is drawn to the other. They fight. It's beautiful. It's powerful. It's the most meaningful encounter of their lives. They both survive to repeatedly meet again, and even though they battle numerous opponents, it's only to each other that they are devoted. Together they take down a king torn from hell, but that does not stop the war. There is too much bloodlust and too many possibilities for this war to ever end easily.

"Overtime their mutual regard grows into love, and after realizing its reciprocated, they simply can't imagine how it could have taken them so long to be together. There are many problems, of course. And eventually S has to make a terrible choice. And his answer is one that A was too self-absorbed to tolerate. And by the time A could apologize...S was dead."

He could feel Yukimura trembling. Masamune knew that he could have dragged this encounter out. But he simply doesn't have the patience.

Right now he is holding Sanada Yukimura's hand. And he wants the right to hold more than just his hand, forever.

"A is very sorry for being a fool. He is more sorry than he can ever say. For everything."

Yukimura closed his eyes with a shuddering breath, taking in the apology. He probably didn't even realize that the hand held in both of Masamune's had curled to fit, as if to hold back and never let go.

"The epilogue of my story is still being written, but it's at this point where I am stuck. S and A find each other again, but A doesn't remember their pasts while S somehow does. And even though A falls in love with S all over again, S purposely plays the ignorant fool and won't let A have him. And A really wants him, openly chases after him, but S still ignores him. And when A remembers everything, he decides to confront S. But now where do I go with this story?"

Masamune gripped the hand he was holding almost painfully, his eye boring deeply into the shivering Yukimura's.

"Tell me, Yukimura. I think you may have an idea. Why is S running from A now?"

Yukimura tears his hand away with that old strength Masamune reveres. Yukimura tried to stand up, run away from his verbal assailant, but Masamune has the advantage in this encounter. The second Yukimura turned around to escape, Masamune was ready. He reached across the table and grabbed the back of Yukimura's apron, fiercely pulling back. Yukimura, in spite of all his struggles to tear the apron off and flee, could not get far when Masamune stood to get a grip on Yukimura's black vest with his right fist. When Yukimura was dragged close enough, Masamune, right hand still gripping the back of the vest, wrapped his left arm around Yukimura's waist and forced them both back down into Masamune's chair.

Yukimura fell into Masamune's lap with an "oomph", frowning and trying to stay quiet to keep attention from drifting their way. He quickly turned his head to the side to fiercely whisper, "Masamune, let go now!"

Masamune shook his head with a silly grin and Yukimura struggled more to escape. Masamune released the vest to wrap his right arm around Yukimura's chest, pulling back to hold the meekly thrashing body completely against his own .

Masamune took a deep breath, luxuriating in the feel of having Yukimura's taut body against his own. He rested his head over Yukimura's shoulder to kiss his cheek in an act of affection both honest and parody, whispering "No" as the younger man snarled.

Then Masamune brought his lips to Yukimura's ear, crooning and almost singsong, "Sanada Yukimura. You didn't answer my question. Why is S running from A today?"

"Date Masamune, you should be nicer to the waiters! Then again, I suppose Date Masamune finds it troublesome to be nice to most people regardless!"

Masamune, shocked at the familiar voice, unintentionally gave Yukimura the opportunity to break free. The boy nearly leaped from his arms and ran behind the counter, as if that would save him from Masamune. He was wrong, but luckily Masamune was incredibly distracted at the moment.

Standing before Masamune, stupid-ass grin on his cheerful face and ridiculously long hair piled high on his head, was the last person in the world Masamune ever wanted to see in any life.

"Look Kotarou, didn't I tell you it was a good idea to come here today? And you were worried!" Maeda Keiji happily announced. "You remember Date Masamune?"

A boy, probably not even sixteen, with shocking red hair and two recent-looking red marks tattooed on his cheeks, looked up at Maeda with eyes completely covered by his hair. He nodded, taking a pen from the pocket of his jeans to write on a notepad hung around his neck.

Masamune blinked, still stunned by the sudden encounter, and the former ninja raised his sign.

Rapist

Maeda nodded with merriment, hair bouncing with the movement, "Exactly Kotarou!"

Of all fucking people to remember…

Masamune slumped in his seat, day ruined, prey escaped.

It was bad enough that Maeda and his replacement pet monkey had interrupted his self-delusion of what could have been an epic revival of romance.

It didn't help at all when Maeda and the ninja sat down at his table.

Maeda smiled at him like the idiot he was. "Hi Date, I'm here to help you!"

"…"

When the lunch rush came, the café became its usual bustling state. Which meant Yukimura was too busy catering to customers to worry about Masamune's wandering hands. It probably shouldn't have, but it amused Masamune when Yukimura got so aggravated by the discreet public assaults that he eventually came to completely avoid Masamune's range.

Masamune eyed Yukimura like a predator, making sure to give a sexy grin or an implicative expression whenever the hunted youth turned his way. And he would always look at Masamune because the former samurai was always watching him. It was cat and mouse. It was too much fun.

"Poor Yukimura. Liking such a perverted man…"

Masamune tore his attention from Yukimura to the two sitting with him. He didn't mind the pet ninja, that one was silent, but Maeda…

"I don't know why you are here lady-killer, but I hope you aren't planning on trying something again.

"Oh no!" Maeda replied with absolute humor. "I learned my lesson last time for sure!"

Masamune wasn't nearly as amused. "I'm sure. The beating will be worse this time if you try and interfere, you see?"

Not taking Masamune seriously in the slightest, Maeda laughed flippantly, "Sorry, good habits die hard!"

"I remember your habits," Masamune retorted, arms crossed. "Still don't like them."

"I see your attitude hasn't changed. Such a bad personality. Poor Yukimura…"

"Cut the melodramatics. What are you even doing here? And how exactly are you helping me in not being helpful at all?"

Maeda sighed indulgently and sipped his tea, humming his approval, before replying, "With the combined forces of the exquisite Yukimura and my people skills you are now looking at the first two delivery boys of The Great Tiger Café. We have endeavored to expand the café to the far reaches of the city!"

Masamune stared Maeda down. "No, really. What are you doing here?"

Meada frowned sadly, "I'm being serious. Kotarou and I gave a presentation. I explained how cool we are, Kotarou drew pictures of…whatever he felt like, and Yukimura begged in that cute way that gets him everything he wants! Takeda told us to come back today to discuss it more, and we got here early to prove we are punctual. Glad we did! It was really nostalgic watching Date Masamune molest an innocent."

"Funny." Masamune deadpanned. "How do you even know Yukimura this time?"

Kotarou drew a happy face and showed it off.

"That's exactly why we are here, Kotarou!" Maeda praised.

Masamune wasn't impressed.

Kotarou seemed equally unimpressed with Masamune for not understanding his artwork. So he added an eye patch to the happy face.

Maeda nodded, "That's even better."

Masamune was still lost, inwardly insulted that people gave the mute kid praise for crap drawings when all he ever got was shit for his. "How can you understand him? And why the hell doesn't he speak?"

"Kotarou? He just chooses not to." Maeda shrugged. "I think he does really well expressing himself."

Apparently irritated, Kotarou added something to the picture, showing it only to Maeda beside him.

Maeda smiled widely. "Oh, you. That's a little mean… but I like it."

Masamune could almost bring himself to care.

Maeda looked at him, "Oh, right. Sorry. I didn't answer your question, huh? Yukimura and I went to school together. I dropped out last year and traveled the country with Kotarou here." Maeda lightly patted Kotarou on the back. "Yukimura and I talked to each other almost every day while I was gone though. Kotarou and I are in town for the next few months until the situation here settles."

Masamune quirked a brow in surprise, "Situation? Wait. You mean…Hanbei, don't you?"

Maeda's face lost all cheer as he replied, "Yeah, Hanbei is a big part of it. Is he the guy that got to you too? With that game, right? I was kind of hoping Yukimura would have…eh, too much to ask out of that kid."

"It was Hanbei," Masamune consented harshly, realizing Maeda knew a lot about what was going on. Like his very presence, it was pissing Masamune off. "A few days ago for me. You?"

"A year ago."

"The game was released then? And him?" Masamune asked, referring to Kotarou.

"I was the unlucky prototype victim. Hanbei hates me best, after all." Maeda looked at Kotarou, who did nothing, and so answered for him, "For Kotarou it was not too long before I met him. He won't talk about it though."

"Wh-" Masamune lost the ability to form words when he noticed Yukimura and Oichi talking discreetly behind the counter. Masamune frowned as Yukimura caught his gaze, froze, and then left outside with Oichi as he had earlier promised.

"Date?" Maeda questioned before following his gaze.

Even after the duo had left the café Masamune was focused on the door.

Kotarou tore a piece of paper out from his notepad and chucked it at Masamune's head.

"Kotarou!" Maeda warned.

Masamune turned his head slowly until his menacing eye could glare at Kotarou. Kotarou silently, fearlessly, raised his pen in defense.

Maeda laughed awkwardly, "Well, hey, Kotarou, let's go see Takeda, huh? Hey, Date, you can probably go spy on Yukimura and his lady friend! BYE!"

Masamune convinced himself that he wasn't following Maeda's advice and that he had every right to stalk Yukimura. He wasn't even really stalking Yukimura anyway, it was merely that he needed an opportunity to talk to the boy without anyone around.

He could be the nice guy and let the cake girl have her say first.

"Yukimura-kun…would you….would…"

Outside of the café, Masamune, who was leaning near the front entrance and out of sight to the two, lit a cigarette in the realization that this was going to take awhile. He didn't know what the sister of Oda wanted of his lover, and as far as he could recall the two hadn't even met in the last life.

Occasionally, Masamune would tilt his head around the corner to watch the two. Yukimura was smiling encouragingly, not rushing Oichi who was blushing more brightly than Masamune had ever thought humanly possible.

"Ichi…Ichi told Yukimura-kun about Nagamasa-sama…and…"

Oh, Masamune thought, it has to do with that guy.

Being a witness of Azai Nagamasa and Oichi's failed romance, Masamune couldn't help but feel sudden sympathy for the girl. Masamune knew that he could be a selfish bastard, but even he hoped that the girl and her former husband would find happiness in this life.

Yet he still couldn't grasp how Yukimura would be able to help her. He pondered if maybe she wished for Yukimura to help set her up with Naga-

"Yukimura-kun…would you…with Ichi…would you go on a date with Ichi tomorrow?"

…what?

Masamune's thoughts completely derailed and he dropped the cigarette that had been traveling to his lips.

There was silence from the alley, and Masamune forced himself to calm down. Yukimura would never-

"I don't mind, Oichi-san. Is there somewhere you need to go?"

…WHAT?

"Can Ichi…Ichi has a shift tomorrow morning…can you pick Ichi up from here?"

"No". Just say, "no".

"Of course, Oichi-san. I would be more than happy."

This is fucking war, Sanada Yukimura.

Masamune stomped on his cigarette and crossed his arms angrily. He couldn't believe this, couldn't comprehend what Yukimura thought he was doing.

Oichi came around the corner first and paused at seeing Masamune. She blushed a bit, probably realizing that he had heard everything. Masamune didn't hold back his glare.

The cake girl hurried past him, and Masamune waited. It didn't take long for Yukimura to follow Oichi, and the second he turned the corner Masamune grabbed him by the arms and pushed him back into the alley.

"Masamune? What are you doing?" Yukimura glared at him, but Masamune didn't care.

"You can't be serious about that date, Yukimura."

Yukimura didn't even blink, stern in a way Masamune had rarely ever seen. "I am."

Masamune shook his head, releasing Yukimura's arms. "I just practically called you out and now you want to date a woman?"

"Masamune…don't…" Yukimura sighed, becoming less unyielding.

"Don't what? Question my lover as to why he just accepted a date with a woman?"

"Technically-"

"There has never been a 'technically' with us."

Masamune stared him down, and Yukimura caved like he always did when he knew he was the reason that Masamune was upset. Yukimura walked toward him and delicately set a hand on Masamune's left shoulder to calm him, leaning against Masamune's body. Masamune wanted to hold him completely, but held himself back, still confused why Yukimura, who obviously still cared, was doing this to them.

"Masamune…you don't understand what is happening. Oichi-san and I have never had that kind of relationship. It isn't my place to explain, but as her friend I can only help her as I can. And what she is going through does not involve you."

Masamune shook his head deliberately, "Anything involving you involves me. It's the same for you too right? Anything involving me involves you. That has always been our game."

Yukimura immediately backed off, and Masamune wondered what he had said wrong.

But Yukimura wasn't angry at all. He wasn't sad. He wasn't…anything. He was…not acting like Yukimura should be. There was suddenly none of that spirit Masamune cherished so dearly.

Yukimura looked at him and came to some conclusion Masamune knew he would not like. There was too much he didn't know about Yukimura's life, about what was happening in general, and this fact was ruining them before Masamune could even be given a chance to repair the damage he had caused in their last lives.

"Masamune…this isn't a game."

And with that Yukimura left Masamune in the alley, confused more than ever, but still obstinate and planning his next attack.

Masamune paced his room, music blaring, trying to think. Yukimura would be closing the café in two hours and Masamune needed a plan. Yukimura would be alone with no scary father or interfering coworkers, so that was one major point in Masamune's favor. He just needed a plan.

Masamune froze mid-step, a good idea finally taking hold. He thought about this new plan, revised a small portion of it to his liking, and then nodded with accomplishment.

Excited, Masamune went to his cluttered closet and began tearing clothes out in a search. Becoming vexed in not finding what he was looking for, Masamune became hastier in throwing articles of clothing about the room.

Five minutes later, his efforts still fruitless, Masamune turned off his music and opened the door to his bedroom.

"Kojuurou! I need a robe!" Masamune vociferously called out.

He heard his favorite, aggravated exhale, and then, "Your favorite fluffy blue one is in the bathroom, Masamune-sama."

"No, a sexy robe!"

"…"

"…"

"Masamune-sama? Please just use the bathrobe and let me pretend I never heard that."

Masamune shrugged and figured it would be good enough. Yukimura should be used to the weird things he did anyway.

By the time he had compiled everything he needed into his favorite over the shoulder bag, a curious Kojuurou was standing in the doorway to his room, looking at the mess Masamune had made.

He was going to reprimand Masamune until he noticed the bag.

"Masamune-sama…are you going out this late?"

Deciding to be blunt, Masamune replied, "Yes."

"With a bathrobe?"

"And wine. And candles. And cookies if I need bait."

There was complete silence.

A little concerned, Masamune looked around Kojuurou's seething body.

"Did the cat get out again?"

Then Kojuurou seemed to growl for a second, before finally snapping, "Masamune-sama…I am tired of you being a wild, reliant and unproductive child!"

Masamune admittedly jumped at the sudden, random exclamation before replying, "…um, okay. Can I deal with your problem later? I have to go do something that's really important."

"Masamune-sama!" Kojuurou fiercely reprimanded and Masamune winced. Kojuurou wasn't nearly so indulgent to his whims in this life. Less a retainer and more of a parent, and because he knew both the retainer and the parent, Masamune wasn't sure just how much he was allowed to get away with when it concerned this Kojuurou.

"If I promise to be good can you drive me?"

Kojuurou didn't question what Masamune was doing, if only because he knew that he wouldn't like it. Even Masamune knew that Kojuurou was driving him out of fear for what Masamune could be doing if he were to walk alone. And telling Masamune not to go was pointless.

By the time they reached the café, Kojuurou had given Masamune the lecture every teenager never wishes to hear, and Masamune sat and pretended to listen. He would indulge Kojuurou in this because he did care for Kojuurou, and knew the man did it because he cared for Masamune as well. Plus, it was really amusing watching the man sternly go over terms and safety procedures. Masamune was never going to tell Kojuurou that, if only in his memories, he had long been…well, he was just going to let Kojuurou think he was telling Masamune something important and leave it at that.

After promising to call Kojuurou when he needed to be picked up, Masamune gripped his bag and walked to the entrance of the café. He waited for Kojuurou's car to be out of sight before he lightly knocked on the locked glass door.

He could see a single light on in the back of the café and he knocked again. He waited for a few more minutes before all the lights came on and Yukimura curiously appeared to open the door. Masamune waited patiently, noticing Yukimura's slow movements. He felt a little guilt in realizing that Yukimura had probably had just about as bad a day as he had, and on top of that Yukimura had needed to work the entire time.

Yukimura froze at seeing him, but then unlocked and opened the door with resignation, making Masamune miss the times when Yukimura would smile brilliantly whenever they met. It was just further proof that something was not going right in Yukimura's life, and Masamune needed to know what was going on.

"Masamune?" Yukimura asked, a little uncertain.

Masamune stepped inside before Yukimura could shut him out. "Just let me say what I need to say."

Yukimura looked at the empty café and realized, like Masamune, that it was probably the best place for this conversation. "I do owe you that. Let me finish in the back and then we can talk."

To a degree, Masamune had always appreciated Yukimura's lack of caution. Granted, it had always meant that Masamune had to become more cautious when others began appreciating it, but for moments like these he was quite indebted to Yukimura's naïve personality.

Yukimura took down a chair that had been resting on a table so that Masamune could sit. Masamune tossed his bag down on the table and there was an awkward silence between them. Yukimura was probably wondering how to start the conversation, and Masamune was figuring out how he could put his own plan into action.

"Hey, Yukimura." Masamune said, trying to distract the youth from his obviously hectic thoughts. "How are you getting home tonight if the Old Man's on the prowl for Uesugi?"

In spite of himself, Yukimura gave a small snort of laughter at that. "Please don't speak of Oyakata-sama in such a manner. And…I don't really know yet."

Completely unimpressed, Masamune just looked at him until Yukimura gave up and winced, continuing with, "I…had an idea that you would be coming so…I may have…told Oyakata-sama that Sasuke was available to pick me up?"

Masamune felt like he had been sucker punched. For all his good ideas of their relationship being different this time, once again Masamune was forcing Yukimura to lie to Takeda so that they could meet.

"…I'm going to go finish up in the back. I'll be out soon!" Yukimura explained, and nearly ran off as Masamune watched with a frown.

Masamune shrugged it off and began getting ready, all the while wondering about Yukimura. Thinking about it, for as long as Yukimura may have remembered the past, how could he not have been forced to lie to Takeda? How could any youth with the mind of an adult, one possibly younger than even Maeda's pet ninja, have been able to stand being alone in remembering for so many years?

"…Yukimura…"

Masamune decided to worry about it later. For now he had an old lover to seduce, and he could not let Yukimura catch him unprepared.

He turned off the lights and got into place, a gleeful smirk settling across his shadowed features. Masamune was ready, sitting cross-legged on the table with his bare legs hanging over the side, dressed only in his favorite blue bathrobe tied loosely to show off his chest, a glass of wine in hand and surrounded by candles to accentuate his body in the darkness.

Yukimura, concerned about the sudden light failure, would surely come and see what had happened.

And then he would see Masamune.

Masamune waited, and finally Yukimura must have noticed that the lights were off in the front of the café. He didn't come immediately, but Masamune could hear him from the back.

"Masamune? Are you still there?"

Masamune said nothing, anticipation filling him. He squirmed a bit, but made sure not to ruin the picture he made for when Yukimura did come to the front.

Finally footsteps. Masamune froze his body, making certain to focus only on mustering all the sex appeal he possibly could. Then he frowned, no longer liking his pose. Instead of sitting straight he turned his body to the side, accidentally knocking a couple of candles over. Masamune leaned back, using his left arm to prop up his torso on the table, flashing more skin now as the bathrobe hung off his shoulder, his legs were bared further as they hung off the edge of the table even more.

Masamune, who couldn't see Yukimura as easily as the boy could see him, heard him drop some type of cloth when he came close enough to see what Masamune was doing.

There was a moment of silence as Yukimura processed the scene, and then he killed part of the fun by moving to the side of the room to turn on the lights. But Masamune didn't say anything because, while less romantic, this would mean that Yukimura could see him even more clearly.

Yukimura stared at him, completely stunned, hand still resting on the light switch as if he had hoped that turning on the lights would banish the specter bathing in candlelight.

Masamune didn't say anything, only grinned in the way he knew got Yukimura off. Yukimura bit his lip, seemed ready to do something, but then closed his eyes and shook his head.

As he walked closer to Masamune, Yukimura said, "You can't be serious, Masamune."

"I am."

Then Yukimura completely paused, was staring at Masamune, but it wasn't with the adoration or lust Masamune had been hoping for. In fact, Yukimura seemed more worried than anything. Masamune inwardly huffed, because Yukimura was not playing their game right again.

"Masa…mune…?" Yukimura whispered, and his head was tilting to focus while he was somewhat pointing at him. Masamune wasn't sure if this was a delayed reaction, but it was something different than the rational vocalizations Masamune had been hearing from Yukimura lately so he decided to go with it.

"Hm?"

Exasperatedly, Yukimura finally just gaped and said, "You're on fire."

This was going a lot better than Masamune had thought it would.

Masamune held out his wineglass in Yukimura's direction, using it to beckon the boy closer. "Care to join me?"

Yukimura shook his head, still pointing, "No, Masamune! You are really on fire! Your robe!"

That reaction, Masamune decided, wasn't quite right. And then he stopped focusing on Yukimura and his own actions to look down at the candles he had knocked over in trying to fit his body on the small table.

The smell of burning cotton was really obvious now that he thought about it.

Yukimura stepped closer to the stunned seducer. "Masamune, maybe you should-"

"Gah!"

Masamune jumped from the table, knocking down more candles in his haste, and then quickly tore off his robe. Thinking quickly, he jumped over the counter and grabbed some of the stored aprons, rushing with them back to the flaming robe to smother the fire being fed by the other fallen candles.

"Masamune, move!"

Masamune, the continual victim of his own poor reactions, was still bent over when a bucket of water doused him and the robe. Yukimura ran forward after that, taking over for Masamune and blowing out the rest of the candles while frowning at the burnt smell pervading the café.

Masamune, shivering a little in the cool room and nicely soaked, turned to look at the dry Yukimura, who was idly dropping candles into a bucket, with an almost pitiful expression.

"…did you just throw dishwater on me?"

And Yukimura, who honestly was trying to hold back, couldn't help but start laughing at the wet, naked, wide-eyed and rather pathetic picture Masamune made.

After allowing the boy a good five minutes, Masamune finally couldn't take it and tried to shrug his embarrassment off, "If you stop laughing at me we can talk."

Yukimura just snorted, "But you're naked!"

"That's mature."

Yukimura just laughed harder, and Masamune smiled a tiny bit, because if getting Yukimura to smile like this cost him his pride he could suffer it.

Yukimura was still laughing at him, while eating Masamune's cookies no less, by the time the former warlord had changed back into his normal clothes. Masamune had called Kojuurou, figuring that by the time the man arrived to pick him up, that he and Yukimura would have been able to have their talk. Masamune sat down next to Yukimura at the table, stealing a cookie from the boy's hand and tolerating his continued laughter, if only because this was more like them. However humiliating, Masamune could admit this would be a story worthy of laughter and unending jokes. And it was worth it, because right now there was none of that surreal gloom surrounding Yukimura.

"Kojuurou is coming to get me soon. I asked and he said he wouldn't mind dropping you off at your place."

Yukimura, with consideration for Masamune's feelings, finally forced himself to stop laughing. "Masamune…what were you trying to do?"

Realizing that Yukimura meant his seduction tactic, Masamune frowned. "What do you think I was trying to do?"

"I'm sorry Masamune," Yukimura began. "I shouldn't have laughed so hard. I won't tell anyone what happened, I promise."

"I know you won't," Masamune replied easily, biting into another chocolate-chip cookie from the bag. He somehow needed to get the conversation moving in his favor. "So…are we still on for Saturday?"

Yukimura nearly dropped his cookie at the random question. "What?"

"That was our first tutoring session, remember? You can come see what your damn cat has done to my apartment."

Frowning, Yukimura countered, "I didn't ask you to take the cat in, Masamune. You offered. And I don't think that tutoring would be a good-"

Masamune leaned forward, playing his secret weapon. "You can lie to your Oyakata-sama about where you are and what you are doing, but you can't hide your grades from him. You wouldn't want to disappoint him that much."

Yukimura, unmoved by Masamune's threat, merely retorted, "You're going to try something every time we meet from now on, aren't you?"

Masamune smirked in reply, "Better to just give in now. You know I won't lose. Date Masamune always gets what he wants."

Yukimura's lips twitched, and he said, "Even when wet and naked?"

Masamune held back a snigger, and joked with a somber tone. "Are you kidding? Especially wet and naked. It was all part of my plan."

"…really?"

Masamune sighed at how easily Yukimura took him seriously. He was still just that gullible.

Then an awkward silence grew from the reality that things between them still weren't right. And Masamune knew that their relationship had to be fixed now or this wall of anxiety between them would never come down.

Masamune leaned forward to take Yukimura's hand in his own, much more gently than he had earlier that day, letting Yukimura know that he could walk away whenever he wanted to.

"What's going on with you Yukimura? You know that I still love you. I loved you even when I didn't remember you. And I know you love me too. So why are you trying so hard not to be with me?"

Yukimura just shook his head slowly, "It isn't right. Nothing has gone right. It wasn't supposed to be this way. Everyone was supposed to get a second chance. You shouldn't need me…"

Masamune frowned, thought about Yukimura's comment, and then stated,"I think this is my second chance. It's contemptible Yukimura, but this new life began the day I met you."

"No," Yukimura replied, sliding his hand out of Masamune's. Masamune let him, but kept his own hand on the table.

Masamune forced the issue, knowing that he would have to be completely honest to win Yukimura back. "It's true. I had nothing. I had no ambition, no dreams. I had no goals. I never wanted anything nor wanted for anything. I always felt like I didn't belong in this world at all. I was just existing. And when I saw you for the first time, even though I wanted to beat the shit out of you, I realized that it was you I had been waiting for. I was looking for you and I didn't even realize it. All my dreams, my drawings, even this damn book was all to help me remember you."

Yukimura's quivered a little, but he was adamant, "No. Back then…Hanbei and I were mistakes. These new lives were supposed to be better, and you shouldn't have to be torn between two sets of memories!"

"Who decides how we should live our new lives?" Masamune demanded, feeling that he should have the main say in his life.

Yukimura frowned. "Hanbei and I have been quite indecisive on that matter. He has chosen his path. And I have chosen mine."

Masamune began playing with his wet hair, combing it out, enjoying the way Yukimura couldn't help but stare. "How the hell did you even get involved with Hanbei?"

"We were the only two who remembered."

"…and you two changed that."

Yukimura shifted uncomfortably, "Yes. No. I just…wanted people to find their happiness again. In a time when it can't be so easily stolen from them. All of us, in this time, there are missing pieces in our lives, important people that we can't live without. I just…wanted to help everyone find what made them happy again."

"And Hanbei?"

Yukimura opened his mouth but paused, looking so guilty that Masamune was intrigued. "Hanbei…he and I…we did something horrible, Masamune."

"What?"

Yukimura turned his face away.

"What did you do, Yukimura?"

Masamune wondered what could possibly be so horrible that they hadn't done it before.

"Masamune…we ruined a good man."

Masamune flippantly replied, "We have all done bad things. We ruined a lot of people back then."

Yukimura stared at him, making Masamune feel very small, "But this wasn't war…"

And that was the crux of Sanada Yukimura's guilt.

He had never been like Masamune who adapted to the murder, could kill again easily, today, and not have it phase him. Yukimura had always been too kind, too considerate of others.

Yukimura took a deep breath, finishing with,"…and what we did was truly terrible."

Masamune stared at him silently, trying to figure out the right words which could help Yukimura. Even though it may be harsh, Masamune said what he needed to say.

"You've forgotten something important Yukimura. We all have scars, no matter how many lifetimes we live. By being human we will continuously make mistakes, even repeat them. We will hurt each other and do terrible things because we can. Yukimura…you just need to remember how to live with those scars again."

"But why should there even be such scars?"

Masamune gave him a sardonic grin, "Because we will always fuck up and make mistakes. It's the gift of being alive. The scars are carved into our memories and we need them in the hope that we can become better."

Yukimura leaned back in his chair. "You're probably right but-"

"Yukimura," Masamune cut him off, "I'm not asking you to get over your guilt. You don't have to tell me what happened yet. But you have to understand that I have scars too. I have guilt. Yukimura…you died. I was the greatest fool and I hurt you. And then you died. You were always so afraid. That for all the deaths, even your own, that the war would never end, and that the lives lost would be wasted and mean nothing. Before you died, you saw just how foolish we all were, and you tried explaining it to me, but I didn't want to hear it.

"Just so you know, Yukimura…your death did teach me something. I realized what you were trying to tell me. I wanted to prove you wrong, that every death would count. I wanted to build a world from the ashes of your memory and my love for you. I may have lived to be victorious in the war, but all I could think about was the fact that you weren't there beside me. That I loved you and could not have you. I couldn't touch you. I couldn't ever see you again. All I could do was try and use the love I had for you to build a world you would have approved of.

"So it doesn't matter, Yukimura. Even if I was born a thousand times with different genders, and even if we met with different ages, memories or not I would still fall in love with you. I just can't help it. You have completely enraptured me. And between us is a love, and a need, that will probably never be easily expressed with any words and will last us endless lifetimes.

"So…so you don't have to explain everything to me immediately. But…just stay by my side, okay? Trust me to make you happy this time. I know I can do it. I won't fail you again. Give me the chance to make you happy."

This time it was Yukimura who delicately took Masamune's hand, bringing it to his heart.

Yukimura was smiling, and it was a fragile smile, but it was honest.

"Masamune…you never failed me. And I'm sorry about…I…I really wanted you to find happiness without me…" Yukimura paused for a laugh, discreetly rubbing his eyes. "How can I compete with a confession like that? You really are magnificent. It's almost not fair."

Masamune grinned happily, recognizing that he had finally caught the person he loved, "Funny. I once thought it wasn't fair how adorable you are."

Yukimura gave a light pout. "Adorable? I give you a good compliment and all you can think of me is adorable?"

Masamune chuckled, "I can't help that. You are."

They weren't fixed. There were still too many questions and a lot of issues both needed to answer for and deal with. But they were together.

And Masamune wasn't sure who moved first or how it happened, but suddenly they were kissing, and it simple and chaste, but still full of innocent happiness and love.

It was their first kiss in four hundred years.

* * *

**A/N**

Okay then! This was as far as the original went, and the next chapter that is to be posted will be concocted by my accomplice and I :3 (Un)fortunately, it is estimated that it will take us until the around the end of December for it to be ready for us to post up.

Bear with us! Hope you had a nice read :D


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